The Devil Wears a Suit and Tie
by split-n-splice
Summary: "When you went from hero to villain, that must have been like an epic change. I mean, you're on a new path with no idea what comes next. Wasn't that kind of scary?" The dark side's got some metaphorical cookies. A take on Shego going bad.
1. Proposition

**_"When you went from hero to villain, that must have been like an epic change. I mean, you're on a new path with no idea what comes next. Wasn't that kind of scary?" _**That line really got me thinking. Too much. So much that this happened.

Follow up to _Bad is Good and Good is Bad, _precursor to _The Company You Keep.__  
_

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**Chapter 1 - Proposition**

A sustained bioluminescent glow like a green torch radiating from her palm was enough to light her way, allowing the young woman to purposefully walk the fog line of a quiet wooded highway after dark. It was times like this, when it actually benefited her and her alone, that she felt an inkling of gratitude for her gift. Although tonight it was in part because of the so-called _ gift _ that she was out here at all, so she couldn't be all _ that _ thankful.

She'd had a bad day, to put it lightly. That was nothing new. She was parched. Her feet were sore from walking. Her stomach filed persistent complaints, and her jaw was still sore from being kicked by a man in a red jumpsuit, the blow having sent her flying out a gaping hole in a wall from three stories up. Her backside hurt a little too from the landing, but she fixated on walking the line to distract herself from the aches of the day. She was used to having the snot kicked out of her. She was expected to walk it off.

The ruffled young lady wasn't a particularly pretty sight to see hitchhiking down an eerie highway in the dark. The rips in her clothes weren't for fashion's sake any more than the smudges of blood and dirt from the earlier skirmish were, and the scowl she reflexively shot to anyone who dared to slow down didn't scream friendly or safe to pick up.

She was capable of heroic feats, but hitching a ride evidently wasn't included in her skill set. Not looking like this anyway, and not when she was bitter enough to punch the throat of the next person who looked at her funny.

Though she may have been a wreck tonight, she stood tall and carried on because she had no choice unless she wanted to forfeit yet more dignity to wear the mask of a damsel in distress. Or worse, go home to bear her family's lectures over a number of things – fighting solo and without her suit, minor theft, and staying out past curfew to name a few. It was too soon for her to tolerate any of that. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe never.

She smirked as she fantasized never looking back, but that's all it was. A fantasy. A wistful hope. She always went back after a day or two. She was duty-bound, so she had to eventually.

But not yet. She'd take her time this time.

She wasn't sure where she'd go when she reached the next town, but she supposed she'd work out that detail when she got there. It was still only a far-off glow on an indistinct horizon, barely visible through the corridor of leafy trees. She'd been walking for so long already, and it was still so far, that she began to wonder if she'd even make it there by morning.

She guessed she must be at least halfway between the two cities when she decided she'd earned a break. She almost hoped that by sitting down on the fog line, she could give someone a bad day on the off chance she had a close call with a vehicle.

Head hanging between her knees, she sat long enough for the chill of the night to sink in. She might have nodded off there if she'd let herself, but instead she heaved a sigh and sat back, digging in her pocket for something to stave off the drowsiness. A flicker of green fire spouted from her fingertip, her unnatural flame coming altogether too naturally these days, but the crumpled cigarette hadn't even touched her lips when a quiet hum caught her attention, and she turned to squint into what had now become a pair of blinding headlights approaching fast.

_ Go on, hit me. Do it, I dare ya, _ the young woman thought to herself, averting her eyes from the light now. Nonetheless, she tensed, ready to jump out of the road, and it was second-nature for a hand to curl into a fist with volatile energy coiling in her palm, preparing to release a blast that might save her life if it came to that.

Knowing she'd been spotted when the rumble of the engine softened, she relaxed a little. For the first time tonight, a driver didn't simply slow down to gawp at her. The vehicle came to a full stop and she grit her teeth when she actually felt a twinge of apprehension.

The stealthy quiet of the idling vehicle made her suspect her brothers, and the thought might've granted her a moment of comfort – but whatever relief the notion gave her evaporated in the next moment.

A door popped open behind her, and as if that wasn't enough to draw her attention, the driver called curtly, "Are you getting in or not?"

Yeah, he was definitely no brother of hers.

She stood, discarding the crumpled cigarette into the dark with a careless flick. The black SUV she faced now gleamed faintly, blending suspiciously well into the night, and she paused at the open passenger door to peer into the eerie vehicle. The blue glow from the dash shined off the lenses of the spectacled man inside, and she could make out a raised lip.

He didn't look so friendly or safe himself.

"You sure about picking me up?" she wondered coldly as she scanned for signs of danger. For all she knew, this was a creep just looking to off her out here. It was certainly deserted enough on the highway this time of night that he could get away with just about anything if she didn't have a surprise that packed a hell of a punch. Axe murderer or good citizen, she remembered she could handle anything thrown at her, so she decided she didn't care so much about her safety anymore.

"Just get in, kid," said the stranger.

He didn't have to tell her twice. Nonetheless, she narrowed her eyes. "I'm not a kid, mister," she shot wryly. Depending on who you asked, she wasn't technically a minor anymore. Offense aside, she climbed in, not taking her sidelong stare off the dark figure as she took up the passenger seat.

The man scoffed when she reached for her seatbelt. She paused. _ "What?" _ she demanded in reflex, her nerves urging her that maybe she shouldn't trap herself in here. She opted out of wearing it now.

"Nothing," assured the man, waving it off. "So, where to?"

"Arriville."

"Really? Wouldn't you rather go home?"

If her team's headquarters wasn't advertised in Go City's bay, the stranger's question might have been more concerning. More and more people were recognizing her outside of her hero getup, so the assumption she lived in the other direction wasn't completely alarming. It was more annoying than anything.

She took her eyes off the driver for a moment to glare at the dashed center line flicking by at a leisurely pace. When she didn't reply, he must have mistook her silence as a _ yes _ because he made a U-turn.

The very _ idea _ that he was planning to take her back to Go City rekindled a fury in her.

She acted on impulse, lashing out with an unformed plan in mind involving hijacking the car. She'd been wholly prepared to slam him in the throat with a searing-hot fist to shove him out the door while he choked – but a pressure against her forehead, the silhouette in her glow, a _ click— _

The dubious superhero froze up in an instant, her lethal hand still a few sparing inches from the man's throat, and she glared into the cold sidelong stare the man held her in. As a superhuman mutant freak used to coming out on top, it was infuriatingly humbling to be at some creep's mercy – and he wasn't even in some gaudy getup. The tasteless unoriginality of an elementary handgun was all the more infuriating.

Still, the threat was clear-cut when there was no guesswork and little doubt of a revolver's capabilities at point-blank.

Until now, miraculously, she had never been this intimate with the receiving end of any such crude firearm. She was accustomed to the ludicrous weapons of self-proclaimed masterminds and their more creative hands-off homicide approach. Given she couldn't pick up on even the slightest tremble clued her in that this man had either a proficient poker face or really had no qualms with blowing her brains out in his nice new SUV, if it was even his at all.

By how fast he'd drawn, he must have been expecting to be threatened. He didn't look especially surprised by her glow either, although she saw sweat dampening his brow in the momentary standoff.

"Don't make me resort to this, kid," the man asked, more tired than pleading. "I'd never get the stain out."

The driver did not retract his weapon until she extinguished her glow and put away her own. As if to warn her not to try attacking again, he set the revolver on the dash above the wheel, close enough for him to snatch it if she made a second attempt.

Crossing her legs and slumping back, she tentatively settled in and tucked her hands under her pits. Leery and leaning as far from the driver as possible, she surveyed him.

As far as suspicious men went, he didn't look particularly intimidating, at least not by her standards. Not bulky and muscular like the goons she'd beaten up earlier. He was just a sort of average guy in a suit, greasy mop resting unprofessionally around his shoulders, and he wore glasses pushed up on his little nose like a nerd. If she had to guess, he kept the gun close at hand to compensate for being so otherwise nonthreatening.

He may have been watching the road, but she had a queasy feeling he still held his attention on her. Knowing now the man had a gun handy for self-defense or other, and potentially the guts to pull a trigger, she decided it was in her best interest to bail the first chance she had.

She would have been content in waiting out the ride in silence, but the stranger apparently didn't feel the same. Dark eyes wandered back to her and the man cleared his throat, piping up, "Shego, isn't it?"

"Who's asking?" she retorted. She wanted to evade that question, but she'd snipped before she could tell herself to keep her mouth shut.

"That's not your real name, is it?" he jabbed, amused.

She shot him a quick scowl but was quiet. Her name wasn't information she went around sharing with just anyone. Certainly not to strange men who recognized her as one of the local heroes.

"Fair enough," accepted the driver, albeit displeased. He chewed on his next words for a moment before extending a hand. "Dr. Drakken," he introduced.

She didn't shake his hand. She harrumphed instead and slumped a little further, grumbling, "That's a stupid name."

"Really? I thought it sounded quite menac—_ nevermind. _ We're getting off track here."

She didn't know what track that was, but she did know she didn't want to be on it.

The man wiped his face as if to start over with a clean slate, and then looked his passenger over, catching her arching an eyebrow at him. "I heard about your showdown earlier at that college campus. I heard you lost."

Jabbing at sore spots was a guaranteed way to get on her bad side. Trying not to let it show the remark bugged her, Shego merely scoffed. "Just because I didn't deal the last blow doesn't mean I lost," she said confidently, recalling being _ literally _ kicked out of the building. "They were busted, so _ I win. _ Besides, I had somewhere better to be."

"Like stumbling along the highway in the dark?" Dr. Dragon-or-whatever mocked.

"What's it to you?" she snapped back at him.

The driver shrugged. "It's funny. You pickpocketed earlier, too," he went on wryly, ignoring her tense and her frown harden. "Yet by the way you ran in to stop those thieves earlier, I'd think you were some sort of _ hero." _

Shego wasn't sure what to make of him playing dumb. He'd called her out on her alias already, and frankly she was too fed up with her superior's stupid rules about secret identities to give a damn that the stranger recognized her without her foolish mask and uniform.

Instead of lashing out a second time, she only groaned and glared out the passenger window, watching the man's faint reflection watching her. "This is why I don't like the hero scene," she carped. "Everyone knows everything."

"I suppose the deputy I interviewed was right then. You _ are _ a hero," said the driver, clearly amused.

_ "Doy," _she huffed. "Like you didn't know."

"You know, actually, I _ didn't," _ the man piped scathingly. She couldn't tell if he was lying. "I'm from out of town, you see. Only here on business."

"What? _ Journalism?" _ she retorted. After all, the man looked geeky enough for the job, and if he was chatting it up with officers at the scene of the crime – well, she'd been dogged by the media enough to take a guess.

For a second, Shego wondered how bad it would hurt if she jumped out of a vehicle going sixty down the highway. And then, as if he'd read her mind, the man hit a button and the doors locked with a muffled click. No big deal. She could still break a window and maybe – maybe still get shot. Reconsidering her journalist theory, her eyes narrowed at the revolver and then back to Dr. Kraken-whatever's face.

"Then how did you know I live in Go City?" she challenged.

He shrugged. "Lucky guess."

Even if she sensed he was telling the truth, there was something inherently untrustworthy about the man.

Shego turned her frown back to the road. If she could hold tight for a few more minutes, they'd be back in Go City, and then maybe she could make a break for it without having to resort to violence.

She was ready to give the stranger the silent treatment until then, but then he hunched forward to peer past her curtain of raven hair, squinting his eyes at her in the dark. She refused to meet his probing stare.

He hummed amicably, sitting back and stroking his chin. "You seem like troubled youth, yes?" he guessed, but she didn't confirm. "When the man in blue stopped you from shoplifting earlier, I overheard you threaten to run away." The hairs on the back of her neck prickled. When had he overheard _ that? _ She was giving a determined cold shoulder, but felt his eyes cast over her again. The knucklehead wasn't going to let the conversation drop. "That's why you're out here, isn't it?" he pressed. "I think I can help you. It could work out well for the both of us. I could use some assistance—"

At that, Shego tensed and wished she could scoot even closer to the door, but she was practically plastered against it already. She didn't give him the satisfaction of an alarmed glance. "Forget it," she said venomously, cutting him off. "Try Plymouth Avenue for cheap chicks."

It took a moment before the spectacled geek grunted in displeasure. "Pass," he dismissed, flapping a hand.

Shego sat up straight now, turning to fix him in an inquiring glare. "Care to elaborate on what _ kind _ of assistance you're in need of then?" she asked crossly, then she wished she hadn't. She wished she'd kept her mouth shut – and maybe threatened him to keep his shut too.

"Well if you had let me _ finish," _ grumbled the man.

"Go on, I won't interrupt," she interjected with a small smirk at the flicker of annoyance shot her way.

"It's simple. I need better lackeys," the sketchy nerd clarified with a note of lingering distaste. He rubbed his temple and sighed. "That means thief, guard, gofer – a hand wherever one is needed. Henchmen for hire these days are all a bunch of klutzes. But _ you…" _His face split with a grin. "You're different. I have a good feeling about you." He sounded optimistic as he shook a finger at her. She wanted to swat it away. Maybe break it.

Resisting the impulse, she scoffed. "Yo, did you miss the part about me being a hero?" And why the hell would she ever resign herself to being a grunt anyway?

"But are you _ really?" _ he shot at her wryly, and it made her falter.

Shego sized him up. The revolver on the dash served as a clue that this wasn't some lame reporter baiting her bad habits into light for the sake of bogus gossip that passed as media coverage. And if he was – well, he'd soon learn he was going about it the wrong way. Gun or not, she wasn't about to divulge anything to some strange man she met on a lonely highway.

And yet, better judgment aside, her interest was undeniably piqued. She kept a stony stare. "What makes you think I'm cut out for that line of work?" Furthermore, had this turned into a job interview?

"I saw with my own eyes you pickpocket a wallet and pack of smokes earlier," stated the spectacled man. "Right before that fellow in tights came to hassle you in the convenience store over a candy bar."

Big deal. Pickpocketing and shoplifting was nothing. She'd done worse under the guise of Shego. _ Headlines _worse. Her reputation going sour was no secret. She almost told him so.

Instead she narrowed her eyes, displeased that he'd been stalking her. He must have been fairly decent at it, considering she hadn't noticed she'd been followed for half the day or more.

She scoffed. "You think a couple misdemeanors mark me criminal material?"

"Something tells me you're dissatisfied with your hand in life, that's all," he said simply, as if it were obvious.

And, hell, maybe it was, but so what? Unhappiness wasn't enough to flag her as a bad person. She shrank a little though, refusing to confirm. The trivial thought crossed her mind that he might not have drawn that conclusion if she had only smiled more for the press.

"The policeman I spoke with earlier informed me you've given up your hero antics," he added, flicking a glance over to her. A wry smirk stretched his lips. "With someone as skilled as you on my side," he went on with enthusiasm and grossly heavy helping of flattery, "I bet I could make some _ real _ progress. You took out three of my best henchmen today all by yourself. There's something about you, Shego, I can tell. I really think you're my kind. And if you'll humor me, I think I can convince you to see it too."

Shego mulled it over for a moment. The chipper man was promising something that seemed so unreal, but the implication of something rebellious – it was alluring, to say the least, reeling her in. Though it was a charming notion, she didn't buy it. She wasn't so naïve as to take candy from a stranger, even if she had accepted the ride. "So, let me get this straight. You want to _ hire me? _ For hench-work," she said slowly, skeptically. "Standard gig? Ass-kicking, kleptomania, manual labor?"

The shady figure chuckled quietly in stifled glee. "Sums it up," he confirmed, sounding hopeful. "Standard benefits. Room and board, pay, freedom to exercise your talents—"

_ Freedom _ piqued her interest, so much so she almost impulsively blurted _ yes _ on the spot. She barely heard him add on the one bit that that brought her back to her senses.

"—and, ah, if you prove yourself loyal enough, _ maybe _ a cut of the spoils when I achieve world domination."

And there it was. It wasn't exactly a deal breaker, but it was reason enough to think twice. Raising a brow at him, Shego judged him and his delusions silently. If it wasn't a personal vendetta, it was either seizing control of a city or taking over the world with these villain lunatics. The only thing that set this bozo apart from the rest of the losers was he was brazen enough to seek for her alliance outright, despite knowing for a fact she was a hero.

Which had to be the biggest clue he was destined to be a failure, because that was the most asinine thing any villain could suggest.

It was so crazy it just might work.

Shego pursed her lips in mock contemplation. "Hmm, yeah, that _ sounds _ fun – but you do realize I send guys like you to prison on a regular basis, right? I'm a _ hero _ – look it up. Why do you think I'd ever help you?"

A ballsy grin spread across the headcase's face. "Good girls don't go around trying to mug people for their cars," he laughed. "That, and you're still humoring me."

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**A/N:** I wanted an opposite of Go City but Come City sounds nasty so Arriville (_Arrival + ville suffix_) it is.  
Also x2! _Plymouth _Rock is a breed of chicken and that was a prostitute joke and I think I'm witty, harr harr


	2. Consideration

Fic title comes from a song by Colter Wall. It's a new song but fitting nonetheless, and sounds better than the original title I was working with.  
Got a custom cover too, that's fun.  
Anyway. Enjoy maybe.

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**Chapter 2 - Consideration**

"I'll give you time to think about it. If you need me…"

Shego was handed a business card when they pulled up to the curb outside her home in the suburbs.

A stranger knowing _ exactly _ where she lived – and an alleged criminal at that – was concerning, but she decided not to make a scene about it. If he turned out to be trouble, and it was his genuine business card in her hand, then it would be a piece of cake to track him down and bust his sorry butt.

There were bigger things to worry about than a stalker now anyway.

She saw the upstairs lights flicking on in the dark house then and knew it was only a matter of time before someone _ else _ made a scene. She almost requested he keep driving, but she beat back her reluctance to return home and stepped out of the SUV, only to turn around and pause.

Shego stood staring into the dark vehicle she found herself itching to jump back into. She kept her feet planted firmly in place though and fidgeted, brushing her fingers through her hair and nodding down to the card in her hand. Even from the road, she could hear heavy feet stomping down the staircase and knew it had to be her father or big brother, and the temptation to get back into the stranger's car was almost irresistible when she still wanted to be anywhere but here.

She cleared her throat and took a tentative step back, pulling herself away from something she'd surely regret in the morning. "Thanks for the ride. And the, uh, _ offer, _ Doc," she said carefully. "I'll sleep on it. See you around."

Just as Shego shut the passenger door, the front door to the house behind her was thrown open. _ "Where have you been, _ young lady?" ground out a low voice she'd been dreading, and her escort took his cue to hit the gas and speed off into the night.

She quickly tucked the business card down her shirt and into her bra, somewhere hopefully _ no one _ in their right mind would violate just to steal.

Reluctantly, she turned back to the house and her family congregating around the door – the whole gaggle of them.

Her youngest brothers were still in their first year on the team, restricted to training only as they were barely out of kindergarten, but were so excited by it that they even had Team Go themed pajamas. The sleepy little twins clung to their eldest brother's legs now, with the middle child still caught in the crosshairs of puberty peeking out from behind the herculean figure. At the head of the family stood their father, hands on his hips and frown firmly set on his mustachioed face. The man was laughably smaller than her big brother.

Unlike her elder brother, who only wore a look of worry, this man was _ steaming _ . He barely kept a lid on it. "Shilo, do you have any idea how late it is? It's _ five hours _ past curfew! Who was that?" the scolding tumbled out, and she had to be assertive to get a word in edgewise lest she not be given a chance to defend herself at all.

"Don't blow a gasket," she carped when she reached the steps. "I went after a crook and had to call Priscilla for a ride home."

The older of her younger brothers scoffed. "Priscilla, your best friend you haven't talked to in four years? That Priscilla?"

"You should have just let them go!" interjected their red-faced father before she could spit a retort at the skeptical boy. Team Go's overstressed and ill-tempered pop was practically quaking with frustration, just barely keeping his voice down at an acceptable volume for 2AM in the suburbs. "You know I don't like you out past nine, and yet you—"

"I got hogtied in the back of a van," she continued lying flawlessly, her temper reinforcing her unwavering scowl. It was late and she'd had a long day. She didn't have the patience to put up with this. "It's not like I could just drop what I was doing and come home."

Her bluff shut him up fast. The man was still peeved, sure, but he hadn't yet constructed a response before her big brother stepped between the two. "Was it the fiends from raid attempt at the college earlier?" he wondered quietly, stern but full of worry. Gullible Hugo. "Are you alright?"

"Yes – they didn't hurt you, did they, Shilo?" urged their father, as if _ he _ could personally hunt them down to teach them a lesson.

Shego – or rather, _ Shilo _ – had always found it hard to look at him when he showed that brand of concern. It was aggravating. She was stronger and tougher than him, and had been for a while now. There was no reason for him to worry about her with her firepower and training, yet he did. The man had an inferiority complex and he was losing the upper hand of parental authority on his superpowered children these days, making him ever harder to live with. Overbearing was a gross understatement.

Pushing her way through her family, she grumbled, "I'm going to bed," and left it at that, giving a cold shoulder in response to any more questions that might have followed her in.

And she did have every intention to hurry up and get herself into bed, or at least the comfort of her own room with the excuse of sleep so no one would bother her. So after a shower and a plate of leftover macaroni to alleviate her hunger pangs and chase a pill, she found herself on the edge of her bed in the dark, scrutinizing the little slip of paper by the glow of the streetlight filtering in through her window.

_ Dr. Drakken, Weaponry and Robotics Specialist, _ it read, simple and to the point. A hand-written throw-away phone number followed. It featured his portrait as well, though it might as well been a mugshot. Somehow, she'd missed it on the ride, but she was surprised now by the distinct blue complexion in the portrait. She turned on a lamp to be sure, staring at the tiny picture with a raised brow. The only people she knew with an unnatural hue like that were herself and her brother Milo, and maybe another villain or two who'd undergone some mutations.

She lay back with a puff in her soft blankets and stared at the ceiling for a moment before studying the card again. This Dr. Drakken guy – was he anything like her? She could only wonder. He was blue, so maybe he had super strength like her big brother? Did he have a _ glow? _

Shaking her head, she decided maybe finding others like her wasn't what she _ really _ wanted. Why would she want to fit in when she could stand out? That was what she told herself anyway, and usually it worked whenever she felt a little down about being a mutant freak.

Either her medication or the fatigue was making her eyelids unbearably heavy now.

Shilo tucked the card in her pillowcase to save for later and decided that tomorrow would be a new day and she would have forgotten all about the stranger's offer. Her family wasn't so dysfunctional she would really turn her back on them, she assured herself. They meant well. And having a good reputation marred with some rebellious teenage years wasn't the worst thing in the world. This was everything she'd ever known, and just leaving it on a whim was out of the question.

Whatever she'd told herself that night was a big fat lie. Regardless of the hour she'd come in, she was still expected to be up bright and early to take her younger brothers to school, her father pounding on her door to remind her it was still her turn. The new school year had only started up a couple weeks ago, and she was still having trouble readjusting. She herself had recently made it out of the drudgery of high school, and it was unfair to have to continue the same routine as if she hadn't accomplished the feat at all.

"It's _ always _ my turn! Why can't they just catch a bus like _ normal _ kids?" were the first words out of her mouth that morning, and they were all but screamed. Not to say she didn't scream into her pillow afterwards.

"Don't you give me that tone," chastised her father, and she heard his feet shuffle away down the hall. He had his own business to attend to on the other side of town.

Secret identities could be such a pain. It was ridiculous for the boys to be enrolled in private school clear across the city, but it was the only one in town approved by Global Justice. For Shilo, it had meant another bogus uniform and another way her gift proved itself a nuisance, as if being ostracized by classmates for a jaundice-like hue wasn't bad enough. To top it off, ever since "Lady Fate" graced them four years ago, it had been up to Shilo almost exclusively to get everyone to school on time. The chore bothered her more these days, especially today when she'd had so little rest.

Normally, the daily agenda would begin with ensuring her younger brothers were up, fed, and dressed, but seeing as she'd slept in, they'd taken that upon themselves – and done a poor job of it at that. By the time she entered the kitchen, they were wolfing down bowls of fruity cereal like animals, and afterwards she was left to clean up the mess while they dressed themselves. She still had to stop the twins on the way out the door to fix their buttons, tuck their shirts in, smooth their collars, and tie a shoe.

"Let's go, _ mom," _ Milo droned from shotgun of the Aerostar, and she locked him in a venomous glare as the twins clambered into the back of the van. Just as she'd backed out of the driveway and into the street, he looked over at her and said idly, "Your eyeliner's smudged."

"Ugh, what?" she uttered and reflexively checked herself in the rearview mirror before remembering she hadn't had time to do herself up today. She scowled. It was too early for this. Her little brothers giggled, but suddenly the dumb little prank was of little concern.

She tried not to glance over her shoulder so as not to draw attention to it, but parked at the corner at the end of the street was the same shiny black SUV from last night, she was sure of it. The tinted windows served their purpose well. She couldn't make out the figure behind the wheel, but somehow she just knew the stalker was there, waiting.

"Whoa, I was only kidding," Milo apologized, pulling Shilo's focus away from the SUV behind them. "You look like you've seen a ghost, sis."

She mumbled a feeble undeserved apology and continued on her way. She didn't see the SUV again all through the suburbs, but that might have been because she was too focused on not pelting her brothers with blunt plasma to end an armpit fart contest that she _ knew _ they were only having to bug her. They were halfway across town by the time she spotted the suspicious vehicle again. Upon seeing it, she nearly rear-ended the hatchback ahead of her.

_ "Careful!" _ the twins gasped in unison.

Gripping the handle above his door, Milo shot his big sister a troubled scowl. "What is with you today?" he barked.

"What's with _ you?" _ she snapped back.

"You're the one driving like a ditz! Maybe I should drive. You're too spacey today. Are you high?"

Maybe she'd have a clearer head if she'd been allowed to get her rest, but _ no. _ "You don't even have your permit yet," Shilo reminded tartly, just a little smug he had failed every attempt to date.

"Well by the looks of things, you should have your license revoked," the boy sneered back, not realizing he was plucking at her last nerve.

_ "I'm clean," _ she swore.

Her sibling was rightfully skeptical. "We'll see about that."

But it was the last straw. Suddenly Shilo unbuckled her seatbelt, hands up in forfeit. "Fine. Fine, you want to be so independent and actually lug your own weight? Here you go. Take the wheel. Have fun."

"Yeah, that's mature, Shi—hey! Where are you going?" he shouted after her.

Her brothers gawped at her as she stepped out into the traffic jam they'd found themselves in. The twins whined her name. Back to the van, she crossed and uncrossed her arms, shook her head, and hid her face in her hands as she suppressed a scream of frustration. Sometimes, she just needed a breather – even if it was in the middle of traffic. Then she realized she was being watched and took a sweeping glance around, not quite realizing it yet that she was looking for anything in particular until she saw it.

Her gaze locked on the black SUV idling several cars back in the lane over, almost completely obscured behind a moving van.

For a fleeting moment, she knew she should be unnerved that she was being stalked by some stranger. But right now, that stranger held more appeal than sharing the same air as her obnoxious siblings for another moment. She'd been listening to their banter about farts and burps and smelling it too the whole ride until now, and she'd had about enough of it.

Fists balled at her sides, she stalked towards the SUV. Cars honked persistently and she received a couple hollers of indignation as she abandoned the family van in the street.

The second she heard the side door slide open, she whirled and pointed sternly. "Get your little asses _ back in your seats!" _ she shouted over the rumble of stalled traffic. The two little boys ducked back in obediently, and Shilo spun back around.

She stalked up to the creepy stalker's vehicle and didn't care to double-check if it was really Dr. Dragon or Dr. Kraken or whatever he called himself. She did breathe the tiniest sigh of relief to find she had the right man, though.

He wasn't alone this time. The three goons she'd caught trying to steal computers from some nerd lab at an unimpressive local college occupied the back seat, and they all flinched away from her when her gaze swept over them. They had good reason to. They sported an array of bruises and welts as she'd taken out a full month of pent-up energy on them, taking it as far as she could without hospitalizing or flat-out killing one of them, and she'd only decided she'd had enough when she'd taken that three-story fall with a damn oak tree to soften the landing.

Shego climbed in without even requesting permission. "Hi, how's it hangin'?" she asked dryly, plopping herself down.

"Family troubles?" bravely ventured one of the bruised thugs in the back, tipping her off that they'd been watching.

She hooked an arm around her seat to turn a scrutinizing scowl back at them. _ "These _are your best?" she wondered to the frowning blue driver. "They're a bunch of pansies in spandex." The men winced at her remark.

"We're trying our best—," one began pathetically, but Dr. Drakken shot him a stern glare through the rearview mirror. The goon cleared his throat and shifted. "We're just a little rusty." Dr. Drakken gave the henchman a tiny nod of approval in the change of tone.

"So, family troubles," Dr. Drakken echoed, shooting a glance at the brooding young woman sitting shotgun. "Who _ doesn't _ have them, am I right?" He feigned a smile, but saw it wasn't helping, so he dropped it.

The cars in their lane began to creep forward. Shego hoped desperately it would pick up the pace in time so she wouldn't have to suffer the stares of her brothers for long. Or so she wouldn't have to feel guilty when she saw their panic. She almost considered crouching on the floorboard to hide.

"I think those twerps need you," Dr. Drakken went on as they approached the abandoned van.

Shego glowered at him and tried not to let herself get too distracted by his peculiar blue mug. "Why should you care?"

"About the children? I don't. But I _ do _ care about seeing how well you can handle your responsibilities."

Oh, he did _ not _ go there. "What are you, _ my dad?" _ she spat. Gesturing at the van, which her violet-hued brother was standing outside of looking rather frantic now, Shego let out a loud scoff. "I've been taking care of their sorry asses since—" _ since our mom flaked out on us. _ She bit back the detail. "Since forever. I'm _ tired _ of being responsible for them," she explained in exasperation.

She had to look away from Milo anxiously searching for her, his hands cupped around his mouth as he called for her. She couldn't hear him. The SUV must have been just shy of sound proof. She could imagine his voice getting thick, though, because he looked like he was about to cry, and that just made her squeamish.

"If you're ready to join my cause, I can drive on past them," Dr. Drakken offered solemnly. "But if you aren't yet, I understand. My offer still stands."

The SUV pulled to a pause beside her family van, just as she'd dreaded. Through the heavily tinted windows, she might as well have been invisible. "Okay," she said grudgingly, swallowing the bile as she reached for the handle. "I'll see this one through, Doc, but this is the _ last _ time." That's what she told herself anyway. She wasn't convinced though.

The idea of a _ last time _ made her stomach flip.

"Atta girl."

At that remark, Shego had to suppress an irritated groan as she made her exit.

Her ropy brother met her halfway in the street with a silent gawp that demanded answers, and as soon as the twins saw her appear, they crammed into the driver's seat to lean out the window and wail for her like the small children they were. She greeted them with a snappy reprimand, "When did I say you could unbuckle yourselves?"

"Shilo, who was that?" pried Milo, practically following her into the driver's seat as she shooed the twins into the back. If the black SUV wasn't already a block away now, he may have gone to meet the driver. "Isn't that who dropped you off last night? Since when do you have _ friends? _"

The idea of the acquaintance being called a friend so readily made her skin crawl. "Since when do you care about my social life?" she retorted.

"Uh, duh, we're _ family," _ he scoffed, and then he pounced through her window, jeopardizing his secret identity by shrinking slightly to froggishly bounce over her and back into his seat. "We _ are _ your social life."

She clutched the wheel tightly and narrowed her eyes at the little white hatchback ahead. "You aren't the center of my universe."

"Is that your new boyfriend?" giggled Wesley from the back, and Willow elbowed him.

"No, doofus, it's Priscilla."

"Priscilla drives her dad's old _ Jeep _ and doesn't talk to us anymore," Milo recalled, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "You might fool pops, but you can't fool us."

"I need you all to _ shut up," _ Shilo snapped abruptly, turning a harsh glare on her passengers. "No talking to the driver. And _ you _ – you little freak, if you cause trouble for me with Dad, I'll tell him about your _ horsey _ collection."

Milo's shade changed to pink and he gulped. He resigned himself to sulking for the duration of the car ride for the sake of his Breyers.

Meanwhile, the twins were content to play hangman behind her back and were sent to school with ink scribbled all over their hands and arms. Shilo wanted to turn a blind eye to it once she finally noticed, but she ordered Wesley and Willow to wash it off in the restroom anyway before they got in trouble or else she'd hear about it later. Regardless of her chiding, they hugged her waist tightly in goodbye and she smoothed out the redheads' hair for good measure.

She thoughtfully observed the cheerful little boys for just a moment, and for just a moment she wondered if she would miss this.

Sure they were a pain, but they were her family.

Family that was holding her back and restricting her every move and suffocating her, though they weren't solely to blame.

Shilo watched their backs as they hurried off, and then took a careful glance around the school parking lot, scanning the street too, for the black SUV. As she stood there, she caught herself wondering now if Hugo or her father could even make time for her baby brothers if she were to just vanish from their lives today.

Traffic was in her favor for once, but Shilo wasn't even sure if she should consider herself lucky. She could have used the extra time to reconsider. She briefly debated going straight home, but before she fully realized what she was getting herself into, she'd taken a detour and found herself at a quaint café.

No matter how much she dreaded the process of getting them, she needed answers. So she pulled into the parking space beside her big brother's unassuming secondhand Sloth, and gave herself one last moment to change her mind before stepping out.

She found Hugo sitting at a small table inside, reading the morning paper and sipping his favorite coffee that his favorite barista whipped up special for him every day. It rubbed her the wrong way that he could be so casually loitering in a café while the _ women's work _ was delegated to her. It should have been all the answer she needed, yet it wasn't enough.

Shilo ordered herself a simple mocha and came to sit across the table from her brother, but he didn't seem to notice her.

The paper, thankfully, didn't feature yesterday's vigilante blunder nor any paparazzi shots of her trivial misdeeds. If it had, she might have burned it on impulse with zero regard to the witnesses in the café.

Still, she frowned at the paper for a moment too long before reaching over it to snap her fingers for her sibling's attention. Blue eyes glanced up to her and then back down, and since that didn't do the trick, she smirked deviously. "So when're you gonna ask her out?" she teased quietly with a nod to the barista, and she watched him choke on his drink. It pushed a button, though the effect was brief.

"Who? Stacy? No, no, no. I'm not— she's taken," he sputtered.

"Oh. That's a shame," Shilo said dryly, failing to feign sympathy. She crossed her legs and sat back in her hard metal chair, stirring her mocha with the straw.

What was she even doing here? This was ridiculous. If she was going to take the plunge into a life of crime, then wouldn't it be _ eviler _ to simply walk out on them without warning? Shouldn't the feelings and wellbeing of others should be the last thing on her mind?

If only it were that easy.

Hugo tried to go back to his paper, but set it down after a minute to eyeball the young lady sitting across from him now. "What are you doing here, sister?"

Shilo realized she'd been stirring her mocha for a while now and stopped, but didn't look up. She wasn't sure if she was really going to go through with her bluff – she only wanted to know his response – but the words spilled out of her mouth before she could think of a better way to say it. "I'm moving out."

"Huh?" He cocked his brow at her, leaning forward on the table now. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm moving out," she repeated with just a tiny bit more conviction. She took a sip and avoided looking him in the eye.

Her brother blinked like a big stupid gorilla before fixing her in a firm scrutinizing stare she refused to so much as glance at. "And how are you going to afford rent, or groceries, or – or anything else?" he wondered, at a loss. "You can't make it on your own at such short notice. _ Big Brother _ cut your paycheck when you quit, remember?"

Shilo's brow furrowed at the codename. The Global Justice organization overseeing the young superheroes still had leverage in her life. Hell, she was even on special sleep aid they'd developed just for her to neutralize her so she wouldn't burn down the damn house in the throes of a nightmare, but they'd snuck in the lasting side-effect of twisting a biological valve to dampen her flame. She was a hazard, plain and simple, and the suppressant was for the safety of others, so she took it religiously.

It still pissed her off to be under their thumb.

She shook her head. "That's for me to worry about, not them, not you, so _ don't," _ she dismissed.

"Oh, I'll always be worried about you," her brother laughed quietly, albeit nervously. By the way his eyes were burrowing into her, he was having a hard time reading her.

"Forget about me. Will _ you guys _ will be alright?" She took a long sip of her mocha and tried to focus on the sweetness to smother her worries and the bitter aftertaste of the nightly pill. She didn't want to care as much as she did, but that was just impossible. She wasn't some totally icy-cold heartless psychopath _ yet. _She wasn't even sure she wanted to be, but time would tell.

Her big brother furrowed his brow, frowning down at the newspaper now. He scratched at the nape of his neck. "Well it's not like you haven't already quit the you-know-what," he muttered.

She grimaced at the pang of guilt and reiterated, "I mean, the household isn't going to fall apart without me, is it? You'll all do okay, right? You can handle raising the boys yourself? Because you know Dad won't. He's too busy _ working. _ Life of a security guard and all that." She rolled her eyes in exasperation.

At the mention of their siblings, a new realization flashed in his eyes, and it looked to her that he was starting to grasp what her departure would entail. Clearly, the thought of taking on the duties that had been forced upon her was daunting. He gaped like a fish for a moment, rubbed his neck again, glanced down to the paper, gawped at her some more. "I-I'm… You're joking, right? Tell me you're joking," he whispered, unease thick in his voice as he leaned back across the table. "Are you sure about this? Where are you going?"

She didn't have those answers, so she shrugged nonchalantly to cover up the fact. "I said don't worry about me. I'll come back if it doesn't work out," she promised, and all at once the prospect of _ leaving _ seemed all the more real. Was she doing this? Was she _ actually _ doing this? Pride urged her not to go back on her word now.

She'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little excited.

"You _ can't," _ Hugo uttered in disbelief.

As if on cue, something that was becoming all too familiar caught her attention out of the corner of her eye: a shiny black SUV cruising by the glass storefront. Shilo caught herself staring past her brother, and he twisted to see what had her so transfixed but the ominous vehicle was gone by then.

"Well, tough luck. I am," she said absolutely. "I gotta go. Talk later."

She rose before he could object, swapping the keys in his back pocket to leave him the minivan. She didn't stop to hear out his complaints or protest.

* * *

**A/N: **I tried avoiding using names, but calling them by aliases felt too unnatural, so I caved and settled on Hugo (secondary leading reason for the -go suffix), Shilo, and Milo. _We_sley and Will_ow_ break the pattern, but together they make a _we-oh_ to keep the theme. Personally I like how it worked out, even if it seems like _Sheila_ is the fanon for Shego.


	3. Trial

Friendly reminder to drop a review maybe. uwu

* * *

**Chapter 3 - Trial**

Once she'd caught up to the black SUV, more or less, Shilo was careful to keep her distance and her stalker just within sight.

Paranoia had her palms sweaty on the wheel and her brain buzzing, wondering if swapping the minivan for the Sloth had disguised her well enough or if the man was aware he was being followed now. It wasn't the first time she'd ever followed anyone, but it was perhaps the first time she'd followed someone looking for her in turn, made evident when the suspicious vehicle took a leisurely pass through her neighborhood before making a beeline for a motel near the interstate.

She found a place to park just around the corner on the block across the street, crossing her fingers she was as inconspicuous as could be after following the SUV for half an hour or more.

A trusty pair of compact binoculars were found in the glove box. For once she was thankful that her brother was an overenthusiastic vigilante.

Shilo leaned over the back seat to peer through the rear window, focusing the binoculars on the henchmen climbing out of the SUV. They stretched, and after a moment of chatter among themselves, they dispersed to their respective rooms. The scowling blue man in the suit was the last to leave the vehicle, and she paid particular attention to the door he disappeared through on the second floor. Shilo branded the room number into her memory.

Deciding to give it some time before confronting the strange doctor, Shilo returned home.

She didn't want to come off as too interested anyway, let alone desperate. One could never be too careful either, she supposed. It could still be a setup, some kind of trap, and she'd rather keep him waiting if that were the case. Soothing her nerves, she savored the idea of showing up unexpected later to catch him off guard. She'd love to instill a little unease by turning the tables, turning the stalker into the stalked.

In the meantime, she found herself home alone.

She wasted no time busying herself with stuffing an old black backpack with clothes and essentials. It was good to have a go-bag anyway. It didn't mean she was leaving.

Yet she couldn't convince herself it was just a precaution when she kept glancing out the window to the street below, expecting – hoping? – to see a black vehicle idling out front. Packing in anticipation was insane. Shilo shook her head but didn't shake out the bag.

She still paused to contemplate what her most valuable possessions might be that she couldn't bear to leave behind if she _did _act on a whim to run away with a sketchy stranger, as ludicrous as it was.

It was practically a reflex to consider family photos, but one flip through the album, and she froze at a rare surviving snapshot of a raven-haired beauty staring back at her not unlike a reflection, the only notable difference being the woman in the photo was _happy._ Like all other memorabilia, it was destined to never make it to her bug-out bag. It was a wonder the photograph had escaped her hot-tempered teenage rage at all until now.

"I am _not_ like her," Shilo swore to herself, watching the crumpled photo quickly burn to ash now in her palm.

She wasn't abandoning or disowning her family for being mutants. She wasn't afraid of them. She wasn't skipping town for better things or because things had gotten difficult – her freak family had exceeded difficult _ages_ ago. No, she was leaving because she was _nineteen,_ she told herself. She was long past due for leaving the nest. That was all. Right?

"It's not like I don't love them anymore," she grumbled, and grimaced the second it slipped out. If she was seriously considering a pole shift, then being tethered by things like _love_ and _family_ would just be giving herself a laughable weak spot. Right? Villains shouldn't have those kinds of sentiments, right? She supposed she'd learn the ins and outs in time.

Was she really considering going through with this?

Deep breaths.

Shilo tried once more to reassure herself. "I'll see them again," she mumbled. "Hugo is smart enough and has the resources now to find me if he really wants to." She paced her room with her bag, stealing another fruitless glance out the window. "He hasn't looked for _Mom_ yet, so he maybe won't try too hard to find me either." Maybe he'd accept her decision and let her go.

She thought her mumblings would make herself feel better, but they really weren't helping. At all.

She struggled to push thoughts of _abandoning_ her family and being _forgotten_ like yesterday's news aside in favor of focusing on the television for a while, hoping it would lull her to sleep so she could get some needed shut-eye.

But it didn't, and when reality TV got grating, Shilo nearly hopped on her brother's computer to search for Dr. Drakken in Global Justice's database to dig up what she could on him, but she stopped herself. If he was the real deal, the search might tip off the organization supervising her freak family. Shilo grit her teeth and turned away from her big brother's door. _If _he was the real deal, she'd have to trust Dr. Drakken enough to go into it blind, more or less. It was no big deal, she told herself. She took risks all the time.

She resumed her organizing and packing, dwelling over what qualified as essentials while trying to pack light.

It had been a way of killing time at least, but she couldn't keep herself cooped up all day.

Despite keeping a hopeful eye out for him earlier, Shilo didn't want to be caught leaving from the front door. Her stalker seemed to have a habit of stakeouts and prowling her street, so come noon, she slipped out the back door just in case to hop the back fence and cut through an oblivious senior neighbor's yard, just as she used to whenever sneaking out in the uniform she'd grown accustomed to over the years, though she was undercover today, setting out as just a deceptively typical civilian.

She needed more evidence than smooth talk, a failed theft, and a car full of hired muscle to prove the doctor was dedicated to criminal ambitions. She needed proof he was worthwhile, not a wannabe. That he was someone exciting. Or at the very least, someone with the _potential_ to be worth throwing her present life away for.

Catching a bus, Shilo soon found herself practically vibrating in anticipation, giddy with the notion of doing something bigger than petty misdemeanors. She hadn't even _done_ anything yet, and the thought was giving her a rush. On the off chance the guy was serious about outrageous domination goals, and on the off chance he had the guts and the brains to pull it off, maybe she could get close enough to sweep that victory out from under him, be it for good or for bad.

She was getting ahead of herself.

Shilo caught herself smirking to impractical daydreams and wiped the smile off her face in time to disembark near the interstate.

Even if the man couldn't achieve his dreams, maybe he could at least give her the thrill of becoming someone _notorious,_ she mused. Accepting his offer would be a place to start. She was sick and tired of playing by the rules. Sick of fighting for the greater good when she'd rather do anything _but._ She didn't owe Go City or the world diddly-squat just because she was superhuman. She had to break the mold set for her sometime.

And that time felt like it was approaching fast, and it made her stomach flip.

She was as nervous as she was excited for what she was getting herself into.

Shilo reached her destination and ducked behind the hedge bordering the parking lot. She surveyed the motel. No loitering henchmen or Dr. Drakken in sight. No SUV either. She glanced behind her and all around the street for evidence of the scoundrels, but there was no sign of her stalker or his goons. So she turned back to the motel and scanned the doors to find Dr. Drakken's, and after a nervous pause, she finally willed herself to make her move.

She straightened up and walked with purpose as she crossed the parking lot, as if she had business here. As if she might be staying here herself. As if she wasn't up to anything shifty.

Shilo stopped outside her stalker's room on the second story and listened carefully to the silence inside. She glanced back to be absolutely sure she hadn't overlooked the SUV in the parking lot that was nearly empty, and composed herself to hide all traces – she hoped – of her nerves before knocking, finding herself _hoping_ he was in. For good measure, she had a smug smile ready for him. She'd love to see the surprise on his face.

But there remained a dead silence, so she knocked a little harder. When there was still no answer, she pushed her disappointment aside and dug in the pocket of her jeans for a handy-dandy lock-picking kit and set to work. She couldn't help casting a few distracted glances back toward the road for signs of the doctor's rig.

It would have been faster and easier to blast the door open, but that wasn't an ideal method when she didn't want to be busted. Subtlety was key.

Soon enough, Shilo was inside. She tiptoed into the dark room. The only thing of interest was an old scuffed suitcase left at the foot of the tidy bed. Beyond the furniture and luggage, the room was bare.

She should have known not to expect it to look like the headquarters of a raving lunatic – it was only a motel room after all. The walls weren't covered in blueprints or self-absorbed news clippings or scribes of a madman. At a glance, there was nothing at all she could use to accuse the man of criminal activity.

Which was disappointing, to say the least.

Chewing on a nail as she surveyed the room, she couldn't help feeling a little stupid. Maybe one of the henchmen had paraphernalia? She kicked herself for not paying attention to what rooms they'd split up to, but made the best of her situation and let her investigation take her to the suitcase.

Shilo knelt down by it and weighed the odds of it being booby-trapped for a moment before deciding to take her chances. However, just as she reached for it, a shadow fell over her from the doorway. She whipped around with a startled gasp, warmth flaring in her palms as she clutched her green fire, reflexively ready for a fight. But the man in the doorway was at ease.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Dr. Drakken clicked his tongue, watching her like a critical unblinking owl as she leapt to her feet. His gaze drifted down, her glow glinting off his glasses, inquisitive eyes shifting to her hands. "Looking for something?"

Given her uncertainty for her present safety, Shego was hesitant to extinguish her flame, but she let it burn out after a moment of the man waiting patiently. She didn't like the curious way he was watching the plasma anyway, and didn't want to prolong whatever satisfaction he took in studying it.

"Proof," she answered curtly.

"Is that so?" A little smug, the peculiar man cocked his head at her, his brow arching. "What kind of proof?"

"That you're really as bad as you say," Shego clarified.

Dr. Drakken scoffed. "I'm only here on a simple pilfering mission, so I'm afraid you'll find no further proof of my misdeeds and schemes here."

When Dr. Drakken took a step in, Shego took a step back, hoping at the back of her mind that he'd take another step closer to clear the doorway so she could make a break for it without being snared by grubby blue hands. "What _are_ you scheming?" she demanded instead. "Why are you in my city?"

Elbow in hand, he tapped his chin thoughtfully, making her skin crawl as he looked her over with a critical eye. "I'll let you in on it if you do me an itsy bitsy favor," Dr. Drakken bribed with a pinching gesture. When she curled her lip at him, he held up his hands in peace. "Just a little errand," he added honestly. "Should be easy as pie for you."

"Not interested," Shego growled anyway. She gave up waiting and tried to push past him, but she nearly recoiled and lashed out in reflex when he barred the way with an arm to make her pause. She barely kept her fists to her sides.

His jovial facade was gone. "Thanks to you, my men failed their assignment," Dr. Drakken explained bluntly, crossly. "But if _you_ could get me the robotics programming data from those clever college brats before that rotten Global Justice confiscates it, that would be swell."

Shego grit her teeth back at him and glared harshly, but he was unwavering. She didn't put up with family blocking her way or smugly using a height advantage over her, and she sure as hell wasn't about to put up with it from a stranger trying to employ her either. If she went along with _anything,_ she was doing so on her terms.

So without thinking it through, without pausing to consider how it might affect her chances of getting out of this town or any other consequences, Shego grabbed a fistful of the blue man's suit and swung him out of her way, throwing him back hard enough that he was knocked to his butt. She might not have had her big brother's superstrength, but she was no weakling either.

"Let's get something straight, Doc," she leered down at him. "Don't mess with me. I might be labeled a hero around here, but I _can_ and I _will_ leave you for a forensics team if you try to pull one over on me."

There was an edge of nervousness in Dr. Drakken's chuckle as he held up his hands, an appeasing smile worn on his face. "I swear, no tricks!" he said with a quiver of sincerity, taking her threat to heart while barely maintaining his confidence. "I want your help – not to harm you."

Shego studied his face until he uncomfortably peered away. Once detecting that moment of weakness, she relaxed. She suddenly didn't feel quite so threatened by him if he was so easily bullied into submission anyway. It was only when she gave a small nod and muttered, "Alright," did he pick himself up and recompose himself.

The pallid man straightened his tie and smoothed his coat. "So. Shego. Are you up for the job?" he inquired. "Stealing the programming for me, I mean."

She wasn't ready to outright agree to anything quite yet, so she dodged his question with her own. "What do you need it for?"

"Robots, of course," Dr. Drakken answered, his blithe demeanor returning. He came towards her as he explained, carefully guiding her out with an arm hovering behind her to urge her along. "They're very special robots – I'm quite proud of them. I need them to be perfect."

"Why steal? You're some kind of expert, aren't you?" Shego wondered. "Can't you program them yourself?"

The blue man shrugged and offered his excuse, "For the sake of doing bad, first and foremost of course. Plus it's easier and less time consuming this way, as opposed to making it from scratch." He swallowed a little anxiously when the young woman's scowl turned up to him. "Hnn. Okay. So I can _build_ them alright, but _programming_ – it's…certain aspects of it are not my forte," he explained reluctantly with a few wild hand gestures.

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairway, Shego realized suddenly that although she was keeping pace, she was still technically _following_ the man, and she didn't quite like that. He wasn't her superior yet. She didn't have to follow him anywhere.

Falling back a step, she narrowed her eyes at his slick mullet for a moment before crossing her arms and scowling away resentfully, remembering there was no telling how long this creep had been stalking her, which she still didn't appreciate even if it lead to his offer for a way out. But that was a villain for you. It was in the job description to be sketchy – targeting the presumably weak, stalking, thieving, and the sorts. By evil standards, the devious behavior should probably be appealing. And maybe it was, just a little. She wasn't telling him off just yet anyway.

"You stalked me here, didn't you?" she had to wonder.

"No, not this time," Dr. Drakken admitted. "The crew and I had a change of plans, and I let the boys take the car. I was just coming back and what a surprise! _There you were."_ He turned an accusing frown on her before barking a laugh just shy of wicked. "It worked out, though, didn't it? I didn't _have_ to go looking for you this time."

"I guess," Shego muttered, still holding herself as they strode out across the blacktop. "Um…I'm gonna…" She warily sidestepped away. "I'll see you later," she said as she left in a hurry the second she reached the sidewalk.

"What, don't want a briefing?" Dr. Drakken called after her, perplexed.

She waved over her shoulder but didn't look back at the strange man. "I'll manage," she assured him, her mind made up.

**++X++**

And manage she did.

She'd sworn to herself she wouldn't wear her uniform again, yet here she was, dressed in a black turtleneck sweater on a warm day, oversized jeans hiding the lower half of the costume as she loitered outside on a mediocre college campus.

There was nothing impressive or renown about the place, and as far as she knew or cared, possibly the biggest news to ever be generated here was all due to Dr. Drakken's goons yesterday.

Sneaking up to the building without drawing attention was effortless. She scanned for security cameras just in case as she found herself a nice blind spot in the shade along the east wall. No one paid her any mind as she leaned there to check her makeup in her compact. Just as soon as passerby had cleared the street and lawn within sight of her, she slipped out of her sweater and jeans, pulled her hair back into a neat ponytail, and tucked her civilian disguise under the shrubs. She donned her gloves, and though she hated it the most, she tied on her clownish domino mask as well to complete the look of the resident heroine _Shego._

If she weren't on a mission to steal under the guise of _good,_ then being seen in public in her signature Team Go uniform would have felt like forfeit. A handful of loitering students turned their heads and raised eyebrows at her as she strode up the steps to the main entrance, and devious delight bubbled up in her chest when she heard some excited whispers. Those who didn't detest her yet were so oblivious and in awe of their local heroine that the prospect of treason was all the more enticing.

For the first time in her life, she was _happy_ to wear the uniform.

Shego calmly navigated her way back to the computer lab, passing through the halls like any normal person would – as opposed to blasting into the side of the building like Dr. Drakken's showy idiot henchmen had yesterday. The door to the tech room had been busted off the hinges in yesterday's skirmish when Shego had thrown one of Dr. Drakken's goons through it. Though the glass and debris in the hall had since been swept up, there was still caution tape crisscrossing the doorframe.

Despite the destruction and a new gaping _window_ filling the room with an abundance of glaring afternoon sunlight, the overhead lights were still operating and the room was still occupied. A couple of young men were sullenly putting their things back in order, a lanky boy who looked like he belonged on the basketball team returning textbooks to shelves and a stout pasty kid hunched over a brightly-lit table, sorting tiny pieces of shattered mini-robots into piles.

"Excuse me," Shego called, knocking lightly on the doorframe.

Both boys glanced to her and a third techno-nerd bounced up from behind a desk, her hands full of cables. Her eyes popped wide and she dropped them with a heavy _thump_ to cover her mouth. _"Guys!"_ she gasped, looking incredulously to her companions. She sputtered something indiscernible before excitedly making out, "Team Go is here!"

But the boys weren't impressed. They didn't even look up, giving only a grunt and a shrug. Shego wasn't surprised. The city was divided on the matters of Team Go lately.

Shego crossed her arms, a little self-consciously, a little nervously, and managed a small fake smile. "Actually, it's just me," she said casually, interrupting the girl before she could launch into introducing herself. "I was wondering if I could have a look around? See what those bozos stole? Or tried to steal?"

"They didn't get away with anything," grouched the chunky boy. "But they sure _broke_ enough."

"They're not the only ones to blame," added the tall boy, and he cast a dark glare towards Shego.

Oh, she would love to give them a better reason to loath her, but now wasn't the time. "May I—," Shego began.

"Come in? Oh, yes! Yes, please do," said the spectacled girl eagerly as she came tripping and hopping out from behind the row of computer desks. The second Shego ducked under the caution tape, the young woman was bouncing to her side, giving off a puppy-like impression.

"Like Zack said," she prattled on, "they didn't steal anything. Mostly it's just property damage. We think we know what they were after, but I don't get why they'd want it. It's not even finished yet, and it's buggy, and—"

And Shego tuned it out.

Hands on her hips, she came to peek at Zack's task of sorting miniature robotic parts with the aid of a magnifying glass and oversized tweezers. Some pieces squirmed and twitched like the limbs of insects.

"So, in plain english, what exactly were they after?" she wondered aloud, feigning ignorance. "Cricket robots?"

"Tyler's drone project," grumbled the mini-robo boy, not even sparing her a glance.

The tall boy Shego presumed to be Tyler shot an unappreciative scowl at Zack. "What is it you want?" he asked Shego icily, unquestionably still tart over the wreck she'd left their geeky little headquarters in.

"Classified," she bluffed. "If you don't mind, I'd like to take a look around in private. I just, you know, work best alone."

"GCPD already took care of the investigation," said Tyler suspiciously. "I'm sure you can get all your answers from them."

_"They _aren't even competent enough to keep yesterday's lame-o thieves contained," Shego shot back, the news alarming the young man. She rallied an air of authority that might have rivaled Hego's. "I don't trust the depth of their investigation. With those criminals at large, it's imperative I gather what information I can on them so that Team Go can stop them. So if you don't mind, please leave me to do my work. I'll contact you later for questioning." She gestured to the door, inviting them to take their leave.

The boys reluctantly ceased their tasks, exchanging looks. They _did_ leave without another word to her, but they shot daggers at her as they left, grumbling to one another.

The girl, however, hesitated at the door. "Um, thank you, Shego," she chirped nervously, still grinning gullibly. "If you need anything, I'll just, uh, be in the library, so…"

Shego nodded and offered a smile, watching the geeky girl duck out and shuffle off after the boys. _Nerds, _she snidely thought to herself, and turned away to begin her phony investigation. She'd already learned from interrupting yesterday's thieves that there were no security cameras installed in here, and that remained to be the case, allowing her to freely peruse the lab. She took a wild guess as to which computer belonged to Tyler, as it was the cleanest and tidiest of the three, the keyboard free of crumbs and technicolor animal stickers absent from along the edges of the monitor.

Just like yesterday, there were no plainly marked cases to rummage through, no stacks of CD's or floppy disks set out to grab and go, so she made the assumption that he used his computer for its intended purpose: storing information. That was surely the target, and after all, it was what she'd caught one henchman trying to smuggle out under an arm yesterday.

No tools necessary, she knelt down under the desk to pop the hood to reveal the inner workings of the computer. A couple pulled plugs, and she squeezed the hard drive into her empty utility pouch. Why waste time trying to figure out passwords and burning disks when she could take the whole darn thing to Dr. Drakken? Let _him_ sort that out, if he was such a genius.

It was too easy. Almost _boring._ If these weren't a bunch of basic kids, she might have expected some kind of trap. Any future tasks she accepted had better be more exciting, she decided.

As she stood, she spied a small pillbox tucked beside the monitor. If it drew her eye, it was worth a closer look. In the tiny cubicles were three tiny square chips no bigger than a fingernail, and written on nothing fancier than masking tape, the label on the side read _Beta Synchronizing Chips. _Shego nodded to herself. That sounded about right if she was after some drone programming.

It looked useful enough, so without an inkling of guilt, Shego tucked it into a pocket at her hip. It couldn't hurt. It might earn her brownie points to make up for knocking Dr. Drakken down earlier anyway.


	4. Favors

Sidenote, I've been trying to use _Shilo_ while civilian, and _Shego_ in any instance she wouldn't want someone knowing or using her real name. Is that confusing? I don't know.

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Favors**

"So you just walked in and took it?" said Dr. Drakken in disbelief, gaping at the young woman sitting shotgun beside him. _ "Just like that?" _ Entirely by chance, he had spotted her leaving the campus, back in her loose-fitting civilian guise, and picked her up to serve a handy getaway driver. The impromptu arrangement lacked the urgency one might expect.

"Pretty much," Shego said with a shrug, more interested in stirring her fruit smoothie. It was a small token of appreciation he'd bought for her. "It's ridiculous how trusting people are when everyone thinks I'm here to help." Well, not _ everyone _ anymore, but enough of them anyway.

Dr. Drakken shook his head incredulously and stowed the hard drive and complimentary pillbox of microchips in the console. "What makes them think you're such a hero, anyway?"

"Read a newspaper," Shego suggested, stifling a groan. Not that the papers could be trusted anymore these days either.

"I mean_ seriously. _ You just don't give off that air. Like, _ at all," _said Dr. Drakken, shooting her a skeptical look with a crooked grin splitting his face.

Shego wasn't sure if he was honestly baffled or if he was only trying to butter her up, but either way, she liked it. Just a little bit. It made her feel _ devious _ – hell, just being in his car did that – and it wasn't an altogether disagreeable feeling. Just one she knew the _ right _ answer was to reject.

She steeled herself against the flattery and rolled her eyes. "I'd rather not get into it," she dismissed. "But I will say it's not without its perks. I get to beat up perverts and assholes and not get in trouble for it, and I don't have to hide my powers when people think I'm _ Shego." _

The peculiar blue driver hummed thoughtfully and idly wondered, "Why be so secretive about it?"

A meek shrug was given. "I'unno. Stupid reasons. To protect ourselves when we're off-duty I guess. _ Big brother _ – GJ, you know – they keep an eye on us—"

"More like under their thumb," she heard the man mutter, but didn't address it. Only shot him a venomous glare while he innocently slurped at his chocolate milkshake.

"Anyway, imagine if the government or something worse got a piece of us? They'd probably try to figure out what we are and then we'd be nothing but lab rats in Area 51, and I'm not going through _ that _ again," she complained. Memories of the nightmarish metamorphosis from human to superhuman reared its ugly head, and she stabbed her frozen drink as if to slay it.

Dr. Drakken blinked at her. She'd wager his surprise was genuine. "Wait – you mean there are more like you? Others who glow like you?"

Astonished, Shego cocked a brow at his curious mug. _ He really doesn't keep up with the news, does he? _ she thought to herself. "You've had _ how long _ to do your research on me?" she scoffed.

The man's stare flicked between her and the road, and after a moment of silence, he added, "You're not an _ alien, _ are you?"

She nearly choked. Like she hadn't heard that before. "Dude, if there is life out there, what are the odds they'd look human?" she retorted.

Nonetheless, Dr. Drakken narrowed his eyes at her. "Well, I don't know. Could be some kind of hologram…cloaking…or you altering my mind to make me see what you want me to," he speculated, wiggling his fingers at his cranium for effect. "You're atypical for a human, and you _ are _ green, so excuse me for being skeptical."

"I assure you, I am an authentic human. I'm just…" _ Mutated _ nearly slipped out of her mouth. Even if she could do amazing things because of it, she often found herself resenting the fact. "Special," she said instead.

"I won't lie, I'm still curious about your glow, but who wouldn't be?" chuckled Dr. Drakken. He surveyed her for another moment. Thankfully, he took the hint she wanted to drop it. "I'll get it out of you eventually," he swore lightly, putting his analysis of her aside for now.

Shego was about to tease and ask how he could be so confident when she hadn't yet agreed to leave with him, but then she caught sight of the digital time display on the radio and nearly choked again. It was already a quarter past 3 o'clock. Where had the day gone? Startling, she sat up straight and scanned the streets around her to get her bearings. Where was she? How far from home was she?

"Is something the matter?" inquired the man.

She swore under her breath. "I have to pick up my brothers, like, _ now," _ she stated, on the verge of panicking. Accepting reality, she groaned loudly then, covering her face miserably as she sank back into her seat. Worries swarmed in her head, worries over things that wouldn't matter if she just left with Dr. Drakken _ right now. _ She looked at him, her ticket out, and looked away. "There's no way I'll make it on time," she muttered, reaching up to chew a nail. "Dad's gonna ream me—"

"North Go Private?" Dr. Drakken interrupted, pulling a sudden U-turn before she could answer.

"Uh, yeah, but—" How did he know that? He'd been stalking her, of course.

The man's fingers drummed on the wheel and he grinned deviously. "I think I'd like to meet your kid brothers after all."

She gawped at him in a mix of horror and surprise. "No, you don't," she said decisively. "Trust me."

"I'll be the judge of that."

Shego's brow furrowed now. Protective mode kicked in, full force. _ "No. _ You're going to stay away from my family," she said firmly, defensively, stomach knotting up with dread. What kind of game was this man playing? Maybe he was something to worry about after all.

Temptation to accept the stranger's offer didn't negate her reflex to shield her baby brothers from him. She could handle putting _ herself _ in danger because if something bad happened to her, she'd only have herself to blame. But if her baby brothers suffered the consequences of her actions, she'd never forgive herself. Dr. Drakken was a supposed villain after all, and as such he presented a threat. It was part of the whole evil shtick. He could turn _ her _ into a lab rat if he bested her, but not them.

Before her hands could flare, his voice broke her out of the torrent of fears fanning the fire in her.

"I know you haven't made up your mind yet, but I would hate to see you get in trouble with _ daddy. _ " Dr. Drakken quipped with a mischievous grin, _ provoking her. _ "No need to glare at me like that, Shego."

Grabbing her smoothie from between her knees, she held it up in unspoken threat of throwing it at him. "If you try to hurt or lure my brothers to the dark side, _ so help me—" _

_ "Look," _ sighed Dr. Drakken. "I'm only doing you this favor, no strings attached, if it means keeping you available and _ un-grounded _ over the weekend while I work on convincing you." He peeked at her, noting she was still holding up her drink to use as a frosty weapon in place of her green ember. "Believe me, taking one kid under my wing is enough. I don't need the whole damn litter, especially if they're at all like you."

It took another moment, but Shego eventually relaxed enough to take a sip from her smoothie. She didn't take her scowl off him for another minute, though.

The man already knew her home address and where her brothers went to school. As long as she was keeping the villain a secret from her family, she really had no control of what manner he went about contacting or assaulting them behind her back. So letting her brothers see him under her watchful eye – it might give them a leg up in defending themselves, an advantage so they'd at least know the face to watch out for if he began stalking them as well, or if something unfortunate happened to her.

Shego chewed her lip, indecisive.

"We pick them up and take them straight home," she said. "If you start getting friendly with them, I'm kicking your ass to the curb and taking them home myself."

"Sure thing, mother bear," Dr. Drakken said wryly.

"It's _ mama _ bear," she corrected. She sat back and rubbed her temples, grumbling, _ "Mother _ bear just sounds _ weird." _Everything about the man and what she was doing was weird.

Agreeing despite her qualms, Shego spent the remainder of the ride anxiously chewing her nails, wearing away the black paint. The pale blue man beside her was eerily quiet, the only thing to break the silence being the radio softly playing old rock from days gone by. She swore the closer they got, the louder her heart thudded.

Shego caught herself staring at the tired man with a critical eye, gauging what dangerous air he gave off. When he wasn't perky and engaged in conversation, his face settled into a scowl. She couldn't see it from her spot in shotgun, but she'd caught a couple glimpses of it earlier, and she knew the gnarly scar reaching under his left eye didn't exactly scream friendly, safe, or good citizen who'd never done time. The ugly stitch was partly obscured by the rim of his glasses, but that left his complexion, which was reminiscent of a frozen corpse, so that didn't really help.

A queasy feeling rose in her stomach as she stared at him, but she wasn't sure what to make of it. What to make of _ him. _ She snapped her eyes away when his dark eyes were cast over to her.

She'd have to be stupid or insane to let her little brothers meet the mysterious chauffeur she may or may not be disappearing with any day now. It would only stir trouble, which meant _ Hego _ was likely to be drawn into it, and that simply wasn't happening.

One look at the man, at _ her _ riding with the weirdo, and they'd have all the ammo they'd need to hound her for the foreseeable future. There was no way she could go through with this – with letting him meet her brothers, she decided.

Knowing them, they'd do something to embarrass her too, but that was really the least of her concerns.

"This is a bad idea," Shego piped up anxiously as they entered the school zone. "I'll walk them home. Drop me off here."

"Don't be a worrywart," was the driver's flippant reply.

"Do you really want a family of heroes in your rig?" she shot in an effort to reason with him. "What if – I don't know – they find out who you are?"

_ "So what? _ I want the _ world _ to know who I am," Dr. Drakken said sharply, flicking an annoyed glance her way.

"Villains get into enough trouble as it is. It's pretty stupid to go _ looking _ for it."

_ "Oh, please. _What would they possibly find me guilty of? Helping out an acquaintance in need?" he assured her as they neared the campus.

_ "Acquaintance," _ she scoffed. "Don't say that. They'll think you're my dealer."

"You have a dealer?" He arched his brow at her and she shifted. He rolled his eyes. "Relax. I'm sure it'll be fine."

Shego took a deep breath and studied his confident and composed face for another moment. "Fine," she said, though it was more of a dare. "But don't say I didn't warn you. And if you try anything, I'll kick your ass. Remember that."

"Duly noted."

She frowned for a moment longer before reluctantly nodding ahead. "There. That twiggy dork with his shirt untucked – that's one of them," she directed, pointing out Milo crossing the street, on his way to gather the twins from the elementary across from the high school campus.

As directed by Shego, they pulled into the parking lot, falling in with the stream of cars lined up to pick up students, and she rolled down her window. The line moved slow and steady, and halfway to the head of it, Shego spotted her trio of brothers waiting and chatting.

Before she could give herself any more reasons why this was a brainless idea, she leaned out and waved. "Over here!" she shouted.

The twins started toward her at the sound of her voice, eager and curious and smiling, but Milo grabbed them by the straps of their backpacks to hold them back. It was like second-nature to put himself between them and the unfamiliar vehicle. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously as they came forward with caution.

"Sis, where's the van?" Milo asked, a note of accusation in his tone. He was probably hoping it had been towed. "Did you total it?"

"Pssh, _ no," _ she snorted, flapping a hand dismissively. "Don't worry 'bout it. Hop in."

"Uh, _ no thanks?" _ said Milo, adjusting his grip on the twins and drawing them closer to him.

"Excuse me?"

"We're not getting in there. Not with…" He squinted and tried to peer inside. "Whoever that is. Because that sure as shit isn't _ Priscilla." _

"Dude, it's fine," she tried again, offering a smile and a feeble laugh. "He won't bite." At least, she hoped not. She couldn't even convince herself, much less her brothers.

Her younger brothers began to back away, the twins taking the violet boy's cue. "I'd rather call chief for a ride," said Milo, practically pulling the crestfallen boys with him. "Later, sis. You know where to meet us. And come alone. _ Without _ your new friend."

They retreated back toward the school, and Shego considered jumping out after them and manually stuffing them into the car, but a hand on her shoulder drew her back in. Something about the refusal stung her, and she seated herself once more, staring perplexed at their backs.

"They don't trust me," she muttered to herself.

"Don't be so surprised."

She wanted to be angry at the remark, but after a moment, her scowl relaxed and she accepted it. "Teamwork is bogus anyway," she grumbled to herself instead.

When her elder brother wasn't present, she was supposed to be the unquestioned leader. Yet they'd just turned their backs on her. Sure, riding around with a total stranger after ditching them in traffic earlier couldn't have looked great, but they _ should _ have trusted her. But Dr. Drakken was right, probably more than he knew. She _ shouldn't _ be surprised. Her younger siblings had been snubbing her authority and giving her suspicious looks for a while now, ever since she'd made a show of quitting the team and distancing herself from the family crime-fighting hobby.

Several minutes passed as Dr. Drakken navigated back to the other end of town. "Let it go," he advised firmly, noticing she was still sitting with her arms crossed, smoothie long forgotten between her knees. "You don't need their trust anymore anyway."

Shego shot him a heated glare. "Are you implying my only option is to go with you?" she retorted.

"More of a suggestion," he said coolly. "You don't have to care about what they think of you, or the responsibility of them, or whatever punishment that father of yours might deal you. Just say _ 'yes.'" _He flashed her a wily smile, but she wasn't charmed.

"Don't play me," Shego groused, and they were otherwise silent until the next stop light.

At that point, Dr. Drakken leaned forward on the steering wheel to peer past her veil of hair, his brow knitting as he fixed her in a frown. "I don't mean to come off as impatient, but if you're going to be fickle about this, maybe it would be better if I quit wasting my time and—"

Shego cut him off when she turned a scorching scowl on him. "It's not like I don't want to take you up on it – _ I do! _ But I—," she put a cork in it, the eruption short-lived though she was still hot-tempered.

Thankfully she clammed up before she could fess up to being afraid of what the occupation entailed. Not so much because she was worried of what awaited her, but worried of what it would mean for _ them _ – for her family. Not to mention, she could very well be expected to fight them someday.

Shego turned her glare down to her hands, picking the worn paint from her nails and shaking her head. "You're asking something pretty huge of me here, Dr. Drakken. It's kind of an epic change. You can't expect me to switch sides at the drop of a hat and to give everything up for _ you. _It's a big commitment! I don't even know you – and by all means, I shouldn't even trust you."

The man eyeballed her and made a funny sort of grunt. She wasn't sure if he was annoyed with being snapped at or if he was acknowledging the magnitude of exactly what he was asking of her, but he didn't press the subject further.

When he opened his big mouth again, she was glad it wasn't to try coercing her into consenting to abduction. "Anywhere in particular, Shego, or shall I drop you off at home?"

She gave it a moment of thought. She was tired, sure, but there was too much on her mind. "I have nowhere to be until tonight," she said decisively with a shrug, and turned a surveying eye on the driver. "Besides stalking me, what is it you and the grunts even do all day? Maybe I could come hang out with you guys instead. Anything's better than going home right now." Her dad or Hugo would be there shortly anyway, and dealing with them was an inevitable she was apt to delay.

Dr. Drakken peered back at her curiously for another moment before giving a small thoughtful hum. "The boys left to hit up a casino downtown," he said. "But seeing as you're a minor, I don't think you'll be allowed—"

A smirk crossed Shego's face and she gave a single laugh that startled the man. "Challenge accepted," she said arrogantly. "I'm game."


	5. Dodgy

A totally-not-a-date chapter.  
Next and final chapter is...eheheh..._explosive._

* * *

**Chapter 5 - Dodgy**

If someone had told her yesterday that she'd be having _ fun _ in a day's time, she might have laughed in their face. Fun just wasn't something she had much of these days.

Given the establishment served booze in abundance and she was regrettably under the legal drinking age, Shego had to find her own unconventional way in. The risk was frivolous and made her a touch uneasy, but she was proud of herself nonetheless once she was inside where she turned her focus to searching for Dr. Drakken and his goons.

The casino was like some kind of adult's Pizza Party-Torium, if the arcade was populated by slot machines and the playground was swapped for table games and a dazzling fountain. The joint was crowded and noisy, and with a funk in the air that made her nose scrunch just as it did at JP Bearymore's.

Before second thoughts could undermine her resolve, Dr. Drakken had reappeared by her side to tow her by an elbow to where his crew had gathered.

The henchmen were found squandering resources on hypnotic slot machines. Without their jumpsuits, Shego wouldn't have recognized the trio blending in among the guests. They greeted Dr. Drakken with warm regard despite his withering scowl, and the goons flashed impish smirks when they noticed Shego tagging along to his right.

She wouldn't exactly call the blue man and his grunts _ friends, _ but she grew to enjoy the company of her unscrupulous new acquaintances over the evening. It was in the midst of the bunch that she concluded that for the first time in months, maybe all year, she was having _ fun _– and she wasn't even obligated to.

Though Shego was too reluctant to openly admit it, it might as well have been written on her face. Once she relaxed and rolled with it, visiting the casino turned out to be a blast.

What little she had on hand had her apprehensive at first to actually put her money where her mouth was, and she tried not to come off nearly as surprised as the goons when she fared better than them. From there, they egged her on – bad influences, the whole lot of them – but she enjoyed the attention when they gave it. Encouragement, cheers, and sore-loser boos from the crew, along with the nice sum of cash stuffed into the utility pouch hidden beneath a pant leg, made the mischievous evening worth gambling with her safety on the rogue doctor. She'd won some and lost some, but she still came out ahead with surprisingly more than she could earn from a whole week of babysitting.

As they were leaving the casino for the evening, crossing the packed parking lot, she almost wondered aloud why she'd never gone to one before. Then she remembered about the whole deal with the age restriction and ID check, not to mention the victimless crime was such a moral grey area that the head of Team Go would rag on her hard if he ever found out. Suddenly opposing him made gambling all the more appealing. It may just be her downfall that there were more thrilling things than money she was betting with.

No sooner had her bossy big brother invaded her thoughts did an arm land heavily around her shoulders, making her forget all about him. Shego would have shoved the tipsy man away if she weren't in such an amicable mood herself for a change, and she even tried to glare up at Dr. Drakken, but his big crooked smile as he bantered with his goons made her forget to frown.

Whatever trouble she was getting herself into, at least she was enjoying it in the moment. Betting on the strange doctor might not be so bad.

A hoot from one of the henchmen was enough to pull her attention off the blue man beside her. "I like this one, boss!" shouted the drunken goon as he stumbled ungracefully backwards towards the getaway car. "Can we keep her?"

If she weren't in public, she might have sent a fireball at his heels to remind him she wasn't their new pet. She almost did anyway – because screw secret identities.

There was a low chuckle from the man beside her then. "I sure hope so," Dr. Drakken muttered contentedly, and Shego wasn't sure if he was too buzzed to realize he wasn't speaking loud enough for the henchman, if he was addressing her alone, or if he was just thinking out loud.

He cleared his throat suddenly and let go, perhaps finally realizing that he'd hung on for too long or that putting an arm around the dangerous young lady in the first place was trying his luck by crossing a line. Either way, Shego took the chance to sidestep to put some much-needed space between them.

"Anyhoozeydoozey, there's karaoke tonight at the restaurant across from the lodge," he announced, making a peculiar attempt to entice her as he battled the grin off his face. "Why don't you come to dinner with us? My treat."

It was late enough to be thinking of _ dinner? _

Shego looked up, discovering to her dismay that the sky was slipping into twilight. Street lights were already on. She bit her lip to stifle a curse and force back a twinge of guilt for not meeting the boys when she should have. But it was too late now. Way too late. _ Bedtime _ too late.

She was already doomed to be lectured later for putting off her responsibilities. So, reluctant to go home once again, she gave Dr. Drakken a nonchalant shrug. "I could eat." She was famished anyway.

"Splendid. Now – who's the designated driver again?" he called out dumbly to his bumbling henchmen as they all gathered around the rig. He grunted his dissatisfaction when they glanced between each other, offering him no answer.

Of course all four of the men had indulged, unwittingly drinking themselves a bit silly, though the henchmen silliest of all. Shego meanwhile had been too preoccupied and cautious to join in, not to mention under-aged. Thankfully the chief was aware enough of the fact that he himself may be just a touch too tipsy to get behind a wheel.

So Shego rolled her eyes and held out her hand for the keys. Dr. Drakken studied her open palm for a moment before shrugging and tossing them at her.

As the driver for the evening, she announced she had reign over the radio. Before anyone could even think of singing along to the Top 40's, one of the henchmen pleaded loudly, "Save the singing for the microphone!" To which she responded with a small blast of lukewarm plasma, shot over her shoulder at him to give him a mild zap.

Maybe being stuck in a car full of intoxicated criminals should have had her ill at ease, but she was remarkably comfortable with it. After the fiery warning, they remembered to uphold a healthy respect. Given she'd already put three in their place yesterday, there was really only one she felt any need to worry about anyway. Which – as long as he didn't brandish a gun again – she was certain she could handle him if he came to be a problem.

The restaurant was certainly no quieter than the ride had been, but there at least she excused the clamor as it wasn't directly in her ears. The joint was busy and a tad rambunctious, but a table for five was found near a stage that had the rogue doctor twisted in his seat to fixate on.

Burgers were ordered and there was a round of beer that completely missed Shego, but she didn't mind being left out as the youngest of the henchmen, somewhat of a runt, was seated conveniently next to her and didn't mind letting her sneak a sip when curiosity got to be too much. She decided to stick to her soft drink after all.

Karaoke made it hard to eat when her focus was continually drawn up to the stage, and she had to wonder what sick satisfaction the grinning Dr. Drakken found in watching it unfold. Some performances were dares and others were premeditated, but just _ watching _ strangers go up on the small stage to sing their hearts out made Shego cringe inwardly with secondhand embarrassment.

When a pair of henchmen went up eagerly for a duet, Shego was inclined to duck her head, borderline ashamed to be associated with them. She leaned over to the goon beside her, whose name she hadn't yet caught, and wryly wondered if they were lovers or brothers. Not that it mattered to her either way, but he confirmed them to be siblings goofing off.

All but physically booting his men from it, Dr. Drakken was keen to take the stage next and that was somehow even worse. Inhibitions lax from alcohol, the blue man was _ enthralled _for his turn in the limelight, whereas Shego was undeniably mortified to be seen in his company now that the tipsy imbecile was swaying on the platform, his jacket tied around his waist and dress shirt having come untucked. His face was flushed an odd shade of purple and he beamed from ear to ear.

As per his request – or rather, command – his henchmen took the music choice into their own hands to surprise him.

When the tune began, Shego found it too hard to nibble uncomfortably at her fries anymore. She heaved an apathetic sigh before hiding her face in her arms on the table instead, anticipating the worse case of second-hand embarrassment yet. She couldn't watch him crash and burn. She even considered walking out to spare herself, but a gross curiosity kept her anchored.

The henchman beside her elbowed her gently, snickering, "You'd be surprised. The boss ain't that bad."

Shego shook her head in her arms. There was no way some dopey mullet-head could pull off _ We Didn't Start The Fire. _She straight up refused to believe it.

But then he began reciting lines in time with grainy filtered audio, without a stutter or slur. She was staring incredulously up at him by _ DiMaggio. _ The brazen doctor threw himself into it with humiliating vigor, doing a little jig on the spot to top it off. She was torn between watching the grinning fool and looking for whatever monitor was feeding him the lines, further bewildered to realize he must have been belting it out rapid-fire from memory as he didn't spare a single glance to the aid. If he slipped up, she didn't notice.

Realizing the restaurant had fallen otherwise quiet – cripes, people were _ listening _ to him – she felt a new wave of discontent. She didn't notice she was gawping until the henchman beside her lifted her chin to shut mouth, and he was brusquely shoved out of his chair in turn. She wasn't sure what to make of the blue man before, and she was even more unsure now.

_ "How?" _ she hissed to the henchman climbing back into his seat next to her.

The goon shrugged and answered as if it were obvious, "He's a mad genius."

"But is he _ human?" _ She recalled being asked earlier if _ she _ was human, so maybe…maybe _ he _ wasn't. It was something to ponder. She didn't have long to entertain the ridiculous notion.

A henchman now seated on her other side spoke up. "We wonder that too sometimes," he admitted in a chuckle.

As the song came to an end, Dr. Drakken's hazy stare fell painfully obviously on her. She was still frozen in place when it was over, little doubt in her mind he was something _ special, _ but _ what _ remained to be seen. The doctor only glanced away for a moment to acknowledge the applause he received, and then beckoned her forward with a finger and a smirk that grew into a devilish grin.

She didn't have a chance to dismiss the summons.

Suddenly she was being hoisted off her feet by the henchmen on either side of her and deposited on the stage.

"You're up, missy," Dr. Drakken cooed, chuckling deviously as he gestured her toward the spotlight.

Eyes flying wide, she planted her feet to resist, but the henchmen's hands were at her back, pushing her toward their freak ringleader. "No – I don't – I don't sing," she hissed in protest.

"Balderdash._ Everyone _participates on karaoke night," he insisted, a little too inebriated at present to realize he was pushing his luck.

Shego strained to control herself, grinding out, "Not me. Watching you guys is enough participation."

His guiding arm behind the back turned into a hold around the waist to keep her from evading the dreaded spotlight. If he hadn't crossed a line before at the casino by leaning on her for support, then he sure as hell was now. "Oh, we can find _ something _ for you," he assured, almost pleading. "Don't be a pill."

The spell was broken. Shego wasn't charmed anymore.

Dr. Drakken was something alright – he might be a lot of things – and right now one of those things was a jackass.

Without a second thought, she elbowed him hard in the stomach. "I said _ no!" _ she spat as the winded man doubled over, and she made a hasty getaway before his goons could dive for her.

Once outside, Shilo broke into a run.

Only a couple blocks away, she slowed to a stomp, until finally she threw herself down on the curb to let the cool night air sap the rest of the flustered heat from her face. She ran her fingers through her unkempt hair, breathing deep, and picked out some tangles as she glared ahead at the quivering leaves of the trees across the street.

Skipping town with the strange doctor didn't sound quite so appealing now. She didn't exist for anyone's entertainment, and she shuddered to think of what else might be expected of her. Boundaries would definitely need to be set, and if he couldn't accept her terms, then she'd just have to bust him, because she wasn't to be toyed with.

At this very moment though, she wasn't sure what trouble she'd just gotten herself into by acting out against the man. If he was really a seriously bad guy like he claimed, then she couldn't put it past him to do something brash and terrible and _ villainous. _

Shilo hugged her knees and contemplated which direction was home. She still wasn't looking forward to seeing her family tonight, but she'd just have to accept that as the inevitable. At least there, she could rest easy with the knowledge they wouldn't murder her for noncompliance, or enact vengeance in some way, or do anything else purposefully harmful.

She sighed heavily and picked herself up, arms wrapped around herself as she weighed her options – assuming there was ever an option to begin with.

If striking the man was a deal-breaker, then she didn't need to serve under someone who expected her not to fight back, especially if fighting was in her job description. She hoped that wasn't the case. Back home, she would only continue to be restricted and heavily burdened and kept on a short leash – probably even shorter than ever, should they catch wind of her recent transgressions. If Dr. Drakken's promises turned out empty, she could always go home to make amends. A little rebellious stint wouldn't hurt.

Apologies tasted terrible, but somehow the other option was even less savory.

She wasn't ready to go home tonight, but she wasn't ready to accept any deals either. Shilo's feet were heavy as she carried herself back to the diner anyway. She decided going back inside would be pushing her threshold for humiliation, so she found herself a place to wait: the passenger seat of the SUV. She couldn't be sure if she was relieved to find it unlocked or not.

Amidst the monotony of waiting, the last thing she wanted was for fatigue to catch up to her, but that was a losing battle. She found it hard to fight to stay awake, watching the passenger mirror for Dr. Drakken or the goons to come stumbling out, but her heavy eyelids slipped shut and she was out for the count before she knew what hit her.

Next thing she knew, she was being shaken awake. She blinked blearily at the dash and stifled a yawn.

_ "Sheesh, _ you're a lightweight," came a voice from the darkness nearby that was becoming too familiar too quickly. He barked laughter. "Half a beer and you black out!"

Her reply was almost automatic. "It was only a sip," she grumbled, as if that helped her case.

She blinked away the fog as she got her bearings, and she came to the rapid realization of exactly where she was – and who was next to her – and it came back to her like a blow to her own stomach just what she'd done do him earlier. As of yet there seemed to be no consequence, but she was too on edge by other factors to be relieved, let alone care she wasn't dead yet.

_ "Dude!" _ she hissed in alarm, involuntarily ducking to hide. The windows were tinted, it was dark, and there was no one in sight – but that didn't alleviate her distress. "You can't just be showing up in front of my house like this! Are you _ trying _ to get me in trouble?" she complained. Maybe this was it – how he got his payback – by getting her grounded – nevermind that she was nineteen. _ That _ was underhanded.

Dr. Drakken scoffed. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were a rebel. Was I mistaken?" he wondered wryly, taking a moment of smug satisfaction at her panic. "Just say the word, and you can forget all about curfews and being put in the corner," he reminded. She was silent, but she wasn't going anywhere yet. "Well, Shego? Are you ready? I can keep driving."

"This again?" she retorted in exasperation, snapping her glare back at him.

"Yes, _ 'this again.'" _ The lights of the dash glinted off his spectacles but the knit of his brow gave away the impatient scowl he fixed her in.

Shego groaned and rubbed her eyes. She was distantly relieved he didn't seem to be too mad at her for earlier, but the relief left her quickly. "Not yet," she said, turning her miserable gaze upon her dark home. The only light on was the porch light. The illuminated clock on the car radio told her it was half past midnight, which wasn't as late as last night, but it was late enough. She hoped everyone was asleep this time since no one was storming out to confront her yet.

She unwillingly popped open the door, watching for lights to flick on in the house and feeling more reluctant than ever to go inside. She couldn't shake the instilled dread of what was awaiting her. More of the same-ol' same-ol' drudgery and bullshit rules and smothering. So even when she slipped out, _ déjà vu _ crossed her mind as she once again debated on jumping right back in vehicle.

She turned to face the driver, giving herself another moment to act on a whim and never look back.

"I can't hang around forever," Dr. Drakken warned as she hesitated there. "Through the weekend at the most, but then I'm out of here. So make up your mind soon."

Arms crossing, Shego cocked her hip and raised her brow at him. Given the pressure, she wasn't so sure if she wanted to give him the satisfaction of getting back in his rig now. It was technically only Friday now, so she still had a few days if he'd just be patient. "You got what you came to Go City for, so why stay?" she wondered. "You're starting to look desperate."

Dr. Drakken looked her over with an analytical stare. She swore she saw him grimace in the dim blue glow of the dash.

He gnashed his teeth as if chewing on his words before grunting. "So I have a new objective!" he spat out, almost defensively so. His mask was cracking and something less than confident was showing through. He was starting to blather. "I have a good feeling about you, and I can see how you're not sure about me, but realize you can betray me just as easily as I you. You're not the only one taking risks here." His fingers drummed on the wheel.

Shego narrowed her eyes at him. _ "I'm _ the objective," she gathered.

"Affirmative," grumbled Dr. Drakken. She saw him swallow and frown deeper.

Acting on a whim, she didn't give herself time to think twice. She should have known better. She climbed back into the rig, even though she knew she wasn't leaving tonight, and she was kneeling in the passenger seat before she could consider how badly this could backfire or any consequences at all, but momentum alone wasn't enough to carry her through it.

The startled driver jerked back when she grabbed for his jaw, and he made a noise of annoyance as she made the man face her. She had meant to seek affirmation some other way – affirmation he wasn't a creep – affirmation she wasn't the objective in some convoluted sleazy trick – but she didn't even come close to so much as willing herself to land a chaste peck before she halted. She wasn't sure what sort of reaction she'd expected, but the doctor was leaning away against the door, pushing her back to keep her at arm's length with his palms at her shoulders. A grimace twisted his face. It served as a clear enough answer, but cold feet and a rebuff weren't what gave her pause now.

He certainly hadn't been expecting an advance, and he wasn't expecting her to snatch his spectacles off his nose either. Shego she still gripped his jaw in one hand as she studied his face in the half-light.

"You're familiar," slipped out of her mouth as her attention was drawn to the scar beneath his eye.

"Funny. I don't get that often," he said coldly.

She still wasn't sure what to make of him. Maybe she'd never know. Maybe she should let it be a mystery. For now, at least.

Dr. Drakken coughed into his fist. "I see we'll have to discuss boundaries and appropriate conduct later," he uttered tersely, a small quiver of unease in his voice as he carefully removed her clutch from his face. He plucked his glasses back from her fingers.

The sudden pang of rejection was uncalled for, and it almost incited her temper, but instead it fanned the heat of humiliation in her face.

Shego withdrew abruptly, cheeks hot and palms clammy as she awkwardly scrambled backwards out of the rig. She hoped she wasn't blushing too noticeably, because the failed advance on the weird man definitely made up for not joining in for karaoke. There were worse outcomes, so she decided to count her blessings.

"Um…goodnight," she muttered sheepishly in lieu of a farewell.

He nodded. "You too."

Almost as soon as she'd shut the door, the engine revved and off into the night he went, leaving Shilo alone to her flustered thoughts on the curb.

She drew a deep breath to soothe herself, but it didn't do much good. She might still have her family to face, but at least she was a little more sure now that the doctor's motives might be sketchy, but at least they weren't sleazy. He'd had his chances to take advantage of her or do any number of contemptible things if he'd wanted. It wasn't much evidence, but it was enough for her to put a little faith in the man.

Whatever brand of evil he was selling was a little more appealing now.

A smile spread across Shilo's face as a flicker of excitement lit in her and began to burn.

Even if the rogue doctor never amounted to more than a mediocre crook, he _ still _ offered her a way out, a way that went against everything she'd been obligated to defend for the past four years. Just the knowledge that she wouldn't have to strike out alone was encouraging. Her talents, her cursed powers, were _ wanted _ , maybe even _ needed, _ for something bigger than local hero work now, and if he really had his weird little heart set on taking over the world, as she knew plenty of villains were – well, then, that was all the more challenge.

This could be fun.

That rebellious little fire was snuffed out to a dormant state the instant she recognized a telltale melodramatic throat clearing behind her. She didn't mean to spin around quite so fast, hair whipping around her shoulders. Her startled gaze landed on Milo, who'd been hovering just behind her, and she glared harshly at him as she drew upon anger to override any embarrassment or surprise.

"How long have you been standing there?" she snapped urgently.

The eavesdropper scoffed and crossed his arms. "Long enough," he sneered. _ "Tramp." _

Shilo raised her warm hand in threat, but he didn't back down. "Have you forgotten what it feels like to be slapped by me already, or do you need a reminder?" Oh, how badly she longed to wipe the look off his face.

"Beat on me all you want, I'm _ still _ telling Dad about your secret boyfriend." As if their father had any say in the matter.

She recoiled nonetheless and played it off. "Uh, _ ew? _ As if. The guy's got a _ mullet," _ she dismissed with an uneasy scoff. She shoved past him and tried to ignore the mocking kissy faces he made after her.

"Just wait until he finds out! He's gonna _ love _ this," her ropy brother jeered after her, bouncing at her heels as Shilo strode across the lawn to the porch.

She restrained another impulse to smack him, and considered a well-aimed kick below the belt might shut him up longer. If he pressed his luck any further, she just might. "My friends are none of Dad's business," she seethed quietly. What was the worse he could do at this point? Kick her out?

Milo dropped his voice as well as they neared the house. "Oh, yeah it is – you know the saying! _ His roof, his rules," _he said, and Shilo mouthed the mantra along with him with a roll of her eyes. Their father could be such a hard-ass at times, even Milo was whispering to avoid his wrath tonight.

"Well, Dad won't have to worry about it for long," she whispered back gravely. "What he doesn't know won't kill him."

"About that—," Milo piped, only to clam up suddenly.

Just then, Hugo stepped in front of her, taking up almost the entire doorway with his broad shoulders, barring her entry. He'd obviously been standing just inside, probably also eavesdropping as best he could from his hiding place. "You were serious?" he uttered, mouth agape and eyes huge. "You're _ actually _ moving out? With that – that _ guy?" _ He gestured toward the road incredulously.

"Not just a guy – a _ man!" _ hissed Milo in a rising pitch. "At least as old as Dad! I think I saw grey hair." He looked to Shilo then and shrank back in disgust, shuddering with a finger pointed down his throat even as he chuckled.

Her face was scorching hot and she had to clutch her fists lest they see her palms sparking. She was on the verge of losing her cool. "You are so far off, it's not even funny," she defended, though she knew she wasn't convincing. "He's only in his twenties." Mid to late twenties, but they didn't have to know that detail.

Her lavender sibling was still appalled. "And you _ smooched! _ Nasty!" he blurted. Interesting talk coming from a freshmen actively aiming for first base.

"Did not!" Shilo spat at him, and gave him a rough shove that almost knocked him down. This was worsening by the second, and she could do little more than hide behind a hand until her hulking brother cleared the doorway, which didn't seem to be happening anytime soon.

"You _ what?" _ Hugo just about boomed for the whole neighborhood to hear. The overprotective head honcho of Team Go stepped onto the porch, pushing up a sleeve of his pajamas as his look of alarm gave way to a hostile glare. Shilo trying to push him back into the house was about as effective as trying to push over a tree of equal girth, which was to say impossible for the likes of her.

"Look, whatever you're thinking, stop thinking it," she demanded, almost _ pleaded. _

"That's a predator if I've ever seen one," Milo retorted in exasperation, definitely not helping the situation.

"Come off it. There's nothing going on," she fibbed. "He's cool. We just talked – about music and stuff." Put on the spot, her lies were transparent.

"Whatever he's promising you, don't buy that baloney for a second," warned Hugo, and she winced.

She _ was _ buying it and they _ knew _ it, even if they didn't know what _ it _ was yet.

Her big brother took her by the shoulders to stand her upright and she strained to glare around him to the open door. "Shi, I would love nothing more than to support you even if I don't always agree with your decisions, but be reasonable – you can't move in with a stranger you just met and who _ we've _ never even met. It's – it's just not right," he said, harsh tone faltering back to concern.

"I said that I'm moving _ out, _ not that moving _ in _ with _ him," _ she spat, anger at his assumptions growing ever hotter. Even if they were probably spot-on.

Hugo shook his head but persisted. "I don't like what's going on. You've been out past midnight two nights in a row, and you even failed to show up for lessons with the twins. They were _ crying _ because you let them down."

Shilo batted his big paws away and took a hasty step back. She didn't like stab of guilt she felt, but she disliked head games even more.

At the sound of a familiar hum drawing closer and distant gleam of black, she felt a confidence boost. "You'll just have to tutor them yourself, because I can't take much more of you guys," she snarled vehemently. "Have you ever stopped to consider I might be leaving because you're such a control freak?"

The herculean man flinched back, sputtering objection, "I'm not trying to control you!" Typical thickheaded Hugo, he willingly forgot ever pressuring her into forming a superhero team to fulfill his own daydreams, or that he was in part to blame for sticking her with raising twins because it was such a woman's job, to the point she'd been practically a stay-at-home mom since the age of fifteen. He seemed to forget as well that because of his secret-identity obsession, Shilo only had a small handful of acquaintances she might call friends, who she only got to see in school, none of which she'd hung out with since graduating, and it was his alliance with Global Justice that was to blame for the curfew and a buddy system she wasn't the only one failing to abide by.

When Hugo reached out to grab her again, she took a hasty step back to dodge him. "We all have wants and desires," he said coolly as if to pacify, but he was floundering, "but we need to put our commitments _ first. _ You didn't even call to say you wouldn't be coming. We were _ worried _ about you!"

His protests grew louder as she backed away down the steps. Creeping into view, she could see the familiar black vehicle's cautious approach. Dr. Drakken had circled the block. Was it just to stalk her? She shook her head, deciding at this point, she didn't care if he was. She'd rather be in the company of that stalker than here right now. He was a blessing in disguise.

"You're telling me who I can and can't see, what I can and can't do, and what and when you want me to do things that should be _ your _ responsibility too. Sounds a little controlling to me!" Shilo spat up harshly at her brothers, namely Hugo. She turned on her heel to jump down the last two steps. "I'm _ done _ – consider me gone. Have a nice life." Whether it was an empty threat or the real deal, she'd decide later, but the stunning effect bought her precious time.

Not daring to give her brothers a chance to stop her, to pull her back, she broke into a run, sprinting across the lawn before they could react or call out for her. She darted into the street, and Dr. Drakken had barely slammed on the breaks when she grabbed the door and threw herself inside.

When the young men on the porch recovered from their surprise and began to chase after her, Dr. Drakken burned rubber without exchanging a word or even a glance, only taking the hint to get them out of there lickety-split. He sped down the vacant neighborhood roads and only slowed once he met traffic, but her brothers were left in their dust.

"Why'd you come back?" Shego demanded coldly as they fell into line with the lazy stream of traffic. She leaned her head against the window, dismally staring out at the darkened storefronts.

"Well, it's not because I missed you," snorted Dr. Drakken. "I just thought maybe you could use a second chance tonight." He cast a look over to her and grimaced, probably because she hadn't picked up anything in the time he'd circled the block. He might as well have never dropped her off at all. All it did was stir up trouble. He stifled a groan. "But I see you're not ready yet," he noted. "Are you still unsure?"

"I'll grab my stuff tomorrow when everyone's gone," Shego promptly answered. She rubbed her temple miserably, a headache beginning to rag at her. "I just need get away tonight. You can just drop me off anywhere. I'll find somewhere to wait it out."

Shego wouldn't admit it, and she didn't thank him, but she appreciated he didn't take the suggestion.


	6. Sever

Last chapter! eep  
Cue violence.

* * *

**Chapter 6 - Sever**

Shego had been ready for the night to take a turn for the worse, braced to fight her way out of it. Luckily, the worst didn't come that night.

Her weary escort merely tossed her a key with an attached number before departing without any sordid demands, only grumbling a complaint about her lack of expressed gratitude. Booking her a room in a motel far from his own was awfully gracious of a so-called villain, but she was too wiped-out to look a gift horse in the mouth – or thank him, for that matter.

She'd been prepared to catch shut-eye in an alley or on a bench somewhere – it wouldn't have been the first time – but there was something inherently _ wrong _ about finding sanctuary in a cheap motel room. Still, she _ was _ grateful for the place to crash even if it wasn't her own bed. If this was what it meant to never go home, then she'd just have to get used to it.

She supposed she'd have to get used to the disquiet she felt about not having her special sleep-aid as well, but she'd been too tired to worry about it for long.

Simply being left alone that night eased Shilo's nerves just enough to get some much-needed rest. She was out like a light the moment her head hit the pillow, drained enough to sleep through the night on top of the unfamiliar blankets. She'd opted to keep her boots on, still wearing her uniform beneath her civilian attire, ready to run should her family have the audacity to call the dogs on her. She'd been too tired to undress anyway.

But the peace of mind slumber held was a sham, and it evaporated in the morning sunlight as that damn cheeky yellow ball of fire glared in through the slats in the blinds, filling the little room with its unwelcome warm glow. The clock on the nightstand informed her it was barely eight in the morning. Her circadian rhythm wasn't far off the mark, if only she were still abiding by the strict routine.

Shilo groaned and raised her arm over her eyes, cursing the sun for waking her.

Like a waking hydra, her anxieties reared their ugly heads one by one. First came guilt for bailing last night, followed by the guilt of letting down the twins by failing to show up for hero training. Grief for her material possessions begged her to go back for a jewelry box. Apprehension came through loud and clear though, asking her insistently, _ What are you going to do now? _She was swamped with mixed feelings, all vying for attention, the loudest of which was dread.

She dreaded what today would bring. If all went according to plan – no, she didn't even have a plan, only a goal to get out of Dodge – if all went _ well, _ then this was the day she officially cut ties with this damn town. _ Nothing _ was changing her mind.

With luck, she wouldn't have to confront her family today or ever, or bear the crushing weight of guilt and face-to-face goodbyes that might very well be enough to make her willpower crumble. After today, she'd officially be a deserter, and her little brothers would officially have no mother-figure, and she'd officially disown the organization supervising and funding Team Go. After today, she might even become a face on a missing person flyer. She hoped she could be so lucky as to eventfully be forgotten like one too.

As she rolled over and curled up with her back to the light, Shilo chided herself that her family shouldn't concern her anymore. They would be just fine without her. Maybe even better, if she wasn't around to distract them and cause turmoil through obstinacy and defiance. Besides, it was high time she started looking after number one.

Dr. Drakken wasn't due to pick her up until checkout time, which wasn't for a few hours yet, but she couldn't coax sleep back to her no matter how much she wished she could lie there just a little longer.

Albeit still drowsy, she reached for the utility pouch on her calf, double-checking the wad of cash as she considered where she might find a nice breakfast. She racked her brains idly for any places she might have seen nearby, but it was ultimately decided she'd have to do a little exploring around this end of town to get her bearings to track down someplace decent to grab some grub.

Shilo was about to face the day on her own accord when a knock at her door interrupted a silent pep talk she'd been giving herself to get herself out of bed. She scowled, checking the time – it was only a quarter past eight now. Though it grated her, it didn't surprise her in the least that the rogue doctor might have changed his mind about the pickup time. He was a madman after all, and he probably had a point to prove like the rest of them.

She stalled for a moment, sitting up to stretch and yawn. The knock came again with evermore urgency as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Something about it made her quirk her brow, but she didn't give it a second thought.

She should have.

She reluctantly drug her feet to the door and turned the deadbolt, grousing, _ "Come on, _ Doc, it's too early for—"

As Shilo opened the door, her eyes flew wide and all lingering bleariness vanished in a bone-chilling heartbeat. She blanched as she gazed up at the self-proclaimed authority figure.

_ Of course. _ What else could she have expected?

She would slam the door and lock it again, but knew it would prove useless. A closed door wouldn't stop _ him. _ Hugo would just kick it down casually and pay for damages later. She steeled her resolve and fixed a glare up at him. "What are _ you _ doing here?" she demanded sourly, her brow furrowed as he looked past her to scan the room before settling his eyes on her.

She didn't appreciate the suspicion and following relief that flashed across his face anymore than the fact he was here at all. If she had to guess, he'd expected to find evidence of funny business in the room at her back, and that he was pleased now to be proven wrong. And so what if he had found something? What she did in sketchy motel rooms was her own business anyway.

"Rise and shine, little sister," said Hugo smugly, as if he were merely proclaiming his victory in a game of hide-and-seek they used to play before the comet hit.

He was beaming and she wanted to sucker punch the triumphant smile off his face, but before she could draw back her fist, he was reaching for her. She didn't have the chance to leap back before his grasp closed around her arm. The man _ did not _ know his own strength – he'd break her one of these days.

No – no, he _ wouldn't, _ because very soon there wouldn't _ be _ any more of _ these days. _

Her shock was replaced with anger in an instant and she gnashed her teeth, glaring heatedly up at him. _ "You're _ stalking me now?" she spat vehemently, trying and failing to pry his fingers from around her bicep as she stumbled after him. She had a hunch he'd spent the night reviewing traffic camera footage with a fine-toothed comb to find her – which meant he had to know where Dr. Drakken was as well. Her heart gave a nervous jump.

"Oh, like the pervert you're so set on hasn't been?" Hugo retorted, voice rising with his temper. "Milo told me all about yesterday's incident on the way to school. I cannot _ believe _ you. Shilo, that man could have _ abducted _ you." He practically stuffed her into the Sloth parked just outside and took his seat behind the wheel in the next instant before she could unlock her door to leap back out.

"And what do you call _ this?" _ Shilo challenged incredulously, gesturing wildly to the air around her.

Warmth blooming in a fist, she had every intention to blast her way through the door to bust out, but a sudden pressure against her leg snapped her attention down to her lap. Predicting her moves, Hugo was a step ahead of her – but she hadn't expected him to jump to drastic measures. Mouth agape, she looked up from an autoinjector pressed to her thigh, the emergency suppressant sapping the heat from her palms within seconds.

Her skin prickled at the violation and she broke out in a cold sweat as she gawped at her brother. What right did he have to look half as shocked as she felt? It was _ her _ leg he'd just stuck with a needle, _ her _ bloodstream he'd plunged a dubious drug into.

"You didn't take your medicine last night," he muttered quickly, as if that excused his actions, and threw the spent injector to the floorboard.

Shilo stared at the aposematic pen at her feet, appalled by the little thing that had been used against her. She knew Hugo carried the neutralizer formulated specifically for _ her _ on him at all times, but it was intended for _ emergencies _ , like if she was overheating or going overkill. She was dangerous after all. Even as a hero, sometimes they needed a way to cool her down. As far as she knew, no such drug existed yet to mute her brothers' glow – it was easy for them when their glow wasn't so destructive and unpredictable and _ feared. _

Hugo's lapse in anger was over, and he was forcefully turning the key in the ignition. "You're my little sister," he said firmly, but she barely heard him. "I'll always do what I have in order to protect you."

She heard _ that. _ Her attention snapped back up from the pen she ground to bits under her heel.

_ "Newsflash!" _ Shilo spat, livid as she shook off the shock of the needle. The effects were temporary. The playing field would be level soon and then she'd be fit to kick his ass. "I'm not little anymore. I don't need your protection."

She was ignored.

"Where is this _ Doc _ you've been seeing anyway?" Hugo demanded. When he received no reply, he glanced away from morning traffic to his scowling sister. _ "Well? _ I want a word with him."

So he didn't know where her ticket out of Go City was yet. Good. "Forget it. I'm not telling you."

"The receptionist said you came in with someone last night—"

"That doesn't mean he _ stayed _ with me."

Hugo scoffed and a grimace twisted his face. "What did you expect?"

The neutralizer drug couldn't snuff out the heat burning in her cheeks. "Would you _ stop that?" _ Shilo all but screamed at him, and he almost flinched. _ Almost. _ "There is nothing weird going on!" To him, her outburst probably sounded like denial.

If he gripped the steering wheel any tighter, he was liable to bust it. "Well then what _ is _ going on?" he dared, but she couldn't answer that. No answer she could possibly give him would get him off her back, not that he'd buy them when he'd already drawn his own conclusions. "The man's a predator, I'm telling you. He's no good."

He had no idea how right he was, but still – he had no right sounding so _ sure _ of it.

Oh, how she badly she itched to slug her brother now that burning him wasn't an option. But he was driving, and a car wreck wasn't on her agenda for today. Not this early in the morning anyway. "Well,_ I'm not prey," _ she ground out instead. At least, she'd leave the rogue doctor with something to remember her by if she did fall victim. And as far as the doctor being no good – well, she was counting on that, but she couldn't tell Hugo that. "I don't want your opinion of my friends, so why don't you take them and shove them where the sun don't shine, huh?"

"Watch your mouth, missy," he warned.

To which she coughed, _ "Dickhead," _ in defiance.

Her brother nearly rear-ended a pricey sports car ahead, but disregarded her remark. "Where are you hiding him?" he persisted instead.

Hugo slamming on the breaks had jerked Shilo in her seat, and she was even closer to throwing punches now than before. She crossed her arms tight instead and refused to answer him. She refused to even put on her seatbelt.

She didn't break, so after another circle around the block spent pressuring her, interrogating her, he turned to head home. He was pulling theories from a hat. Drug dealer? Sugar daddy? A simple creep who'd found her sweet spot?

Well, he wasn't entirely wrong with his last guess, she supposed.

Shilo had half a mind to just run for it when they reached the driveway, but there was no telling if she'd have another chance to grab her things. Rather than bolting, she hastily stormed into the house ahead of her brother while he was still wrestling himself out of the confines of the Sloth.

She made a beeline for her room, but backpedaled back down the staircase and around to the kitchen for the phone, fumbling with her uniform beneath the sweater to reach down her shirt for the crinkled business card she had tucked back into her bra yesterday while packing. She'd almost forgotten about it entirely.

Relieved the hand-written number was still legible, she dialed it quick with trembling fingers and hoped like mad that she got it right as it rang and rang and rang. _ Come on, pick up, _ she pleaded inwardly, fidgeting as she waited, bound to the damn wall by the damn cord—

_ "Nnngh _. Hello? How may I, ugh, direct your call?" came a groggy voice on the other end, failing to sound professional, and Shilo's tense shoulders relaxed slightly. Cool relief washed over her for a split second. How bizarre it was to be glad to hear him made her a little dizzy.

_ "Someone's _ sleeping in," she quipped, a nervous waver in her voice, but now wasn't the time for banter. She cut to the chase. "I'm ready. Like, _ now. _"

Hugo came stamping into the kitchen after her then. She'd hoped to make the call as quick as possible, but she hadn't been quick enough, because he snatched the telephone from her hand and held onto her so she couldn't scurry off or reach it.

_ "Hello?" _ he harshly barked into the receiver, launching into an interrogative investigation. "I have questions for you and you're going to answer them. What business do you have with my sister? What do you want from her? If I find out you're messing around with her, _ so help me! _ Why don't you quit hiding in the shadows and face me like a man, coward?"

Hugo could deny it all he wanted, but he jumped at every chance to fight and show off, even if it meant provoking it. Shilo was too miffed to roll her eyes at his goading.

She was busy anyway. With his gift of superstrength, he held her at bay effortlessly as she clawed at him in her vain attempt to reclaim the phone. She could barely make out the flippant doctor's curt answer, "Sorry. Can't. I must honor Miss Go's wishes."

"Listen here, mister. If you mess with one of us, you get the whole package," warned her steaming brother. "If you hurt her—"

Shilo pounded on his chest with one fist as hard as she could and cried out her fury in a jarring scream, because obviously thrashing and tugging wasn't getting his attention. "The only one hurting me here is _ you!" _ she shouted at the top of her lungs.

Her hulking brother glanced down to her suddenly with a look of surprise, realizing how tightly he'd been holding onto her arm, and released her. She nearly stumbled as her weight came down from her tiptoes. Shilo rubbed what was bound to become a bruise and flexed her fingers before making a dive at the telephone.

Hugo had taken the scenic route home while trying to work answers out of her. As such, it had been roughly half an hour since she'd been stuck with the needle. Given her adrenaline, the emergency suppressant formula was wearing off that much faster, and the heat in her desensitized palms was returning as she grappled at him.

He held the phone out of reach and tried to block her. "Shilo, _ please," _ he begged irritably, and in the next moment there was no phone left to fight over as Shilo had obliterated it right out of his palm with a single fizzling shot. It certainly left her brother's hand smarting.

She whipped around to tear out of the kitchen, her brother barking, _ "Hey!" _ after her as she thumped up the stairs, each footstep falling in time with her thudding heart.

Though Shilo was quicker and more agile, whipping up the stairs and around the corner in a flash, it didn't buy her much time. Hugo was hot on her heels. He reached her in time to snatch her by the backpack as she tried to make a leap of faith from her second-story bedroom window.

"Shilo! What on Earth has gotten into you?" he grunted, dragging his thrashing sibling away from freedom, but her answer came in screams of curses and unintelligible protest.

There was little anyone could do against her brother's superstrength, but it didn't stop her from trying. He made the mistake of adjusting his hold on her, trying to hoist the squirming girl under his arm, and it was in the moment he switched hands that she twisted and writhed and slipped out of his grasp.

Without a moment to spare, she made a break for it, slamming her bedroom door behind her. She didn't look back as she heard the crash and splintered wood scattering into the hallway as he came smashing through the door like an unbridled rodeo bull – paying zero regard to the damage he left in his wake, as usual.

It was probably just a game of chase to him, but she'd never been so afraid of being caught.

Shilo scrambled as the hallway rug slipped beneath her. She barely regained her footing in time to launch herself down the staircase before she could fall headfirst down it. The open front door was just ahead. Just a few more steps, and she could be home free—

A body was crashing into her then, trunks for arms wrapping around her slender frame, plowing her over and just about crushing the air out of her. Her shriek caught in her throat, and then she was wrestling against her hulking brother once more. It was nothing like the play fights they used to have as kids, before he'd gotten his damn superstrength – this wasn't a harmless tussle. He really _ didn't _ know his own strength, _ did he? _ He could snap a human's spine if he wasn't careful – hell, she was lucky she was hardier than the average human.

It wasn't the first time he'd used his advantage of superstrength against her to subdue her, but that had always been to prevent her from going overboard in a battle or something – this – this was him grappling with her to get her wrists behind her back as if she were a criminal resisting arrest, pinning her to the floor at the bottom of the staircase with the glorious freedom of the front door staring her in the face.

She was furious, but a sputter of hot plasma singeing the vigilante only made him swear through grit teeth. Her heart hammered out a deafening beat in her ears.

Cold metal clasped around one wrist and Shilo was wrenched up and back. Before she could do anything about it, her other arm was twisted behind her again, a second metal bracelet clicking into locked position.

Her thundering heart roared protest she couldn't utter herself even as her lips parted in a snarl, and she didn't hear whatever she swore at him as he backed off to smooth out his hair and shirt.

Handcuffing her wasn't going to stop her. He had to know that. Who did he think he was, anyway? He sure as hell wasn't an officer.

But when Shilo tried to jump up, she only fell back and winced as she struck her head on a post. _ "What?" _ She squirmed, throwing a glance behind her as she discovered her brother had tethered her to the last leg of the staircase railing. "Oh, that's _ low," _ she spat up at him.

It was clear Hugo was at a loss for how to handle her – and he'd already used the pen in the car. He was running out of time. She'd be breaking free soon enough. "This is for your own good," he insisted, and even she could tell he doubted it himself despite how confident he tried to sound. He began to pace, his hands finding his hair and eyes darting. "I am not letting my little sister disappear with some stranger. No way, no how. This will pass, Shilo," he went on as if trying to soothe her, though it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.

Regardless, it only served to sicken her and set her resolution to leave _ in stone. _

"We'll get you checked out," he rambled on, a tender way of alluding to a drug test, maybe even rehab. "You're being unreasonable – it's a phase—"

Shilo scoffed incredulously, her dry mouth finally working again to form words. _ "I'm _ being unreasonable?" she laughed out venomously, nearly shrieking it at him. "You handcuffed me to the _ staircase!" _She tried to kick his ankles, but he was out of reach.

"I will not stand by and let you be kidnapped!" he bellowed back at her, and his own distraught temper made him reel. He pinched the bridge of his nose as if it was absurd this was even up for discussion.

_ "You _ kidnapped me! _ You are literally holding me against my will," _ she growled as she picked herself up again to strain forward against the cuffs. "And it's not abduction if I plan it and go _ willingly _, genius."

"Well this is a _ poorly conceived _ plan!" he criticized hotly, jabbing a finger at her that she wanted to bite off at the knuckle. "And I will not let you execute it."

Shilo tugged against her restraints, but the railing creaking behind her offered little to no give. At the moment, she didn't care if the railing or her wrists broke first. She regretted not letting the boys abuse it more by sliding down it like they loved to do – but no, she'd had to be a stringent surrogate mom-sister, and now the damn railing was as sturdy as the day it was installed.

Despite her desperation to break free driving her to heave forward and strain against heating metal cutting into her wrists, Hugo made the foolish mistake of trying to tame her with a gentle hand on her shoulder, trying to guide her back down to the floor. She tried to shrug him away, but when that proved ineffective, she did the next best thing and sank her teeth into his hand instead, locking on and squeezing her eyes tight.

It wasn't as bad as biting a pointing finger off at the joint, but it was effective in making him reel.

_ "OW!" _ Howling, Hugo ripped his hand away with a yelp, but not without leaving a mark. "You _ bit _ me! What are you, _ five?" _

"Let me go or I'm pressing charges on your ass!" Shilo threatened. As if anyone would even take her seriously if she reported it. GJ would just ensure it was brushed it under the rug. "This is wrong and you know it."

Her brother only took a cautious step away, out of reach of anymore bites or kicks. "What do you see in that guy?" he asked in exasperation, grasping at straws.

"Nothing!"

"Then why are you so determined to go with him?"

"Because I _ want _ to," she spat, and resumed throwing herself forward in hopes of loosening the railing to the point of breaking. She slammed herself back against the pole as well, her stuffed backpack padding the impact as she fought to snap something or wriggle something loose, but it was proving futile.

"I need answers here. Are you on something, Shi?" Hugo questioned skeptically. "Is he supplying you—?"

_ "No!" _ she denied. A fresh charge grew in her glowing fists as the energy flowed back to her, and she continued to fight against the restraints. Her wrists were sure to be marred from this. "I already told you," she snarled, stamping a foot, "it's _ you guys. _ I can't take you controlling me anymore. Having freak powers doesn't mean I _ have _ to be a hero, I don't want to play the mom, I don't want to be bossed around by you – I don't – _ I'm sick of you all!" _ Amidst her fury, tears stung her eyes and threatened to humiliate her further. "Now I have a way out, and here you think you have the right to _ stop _ me? I'm a legal adult, idiot, and you aren't the boss of me anymore," she explained grimly, as calmly as she could through the rising panic and a rock in her throat about to choke her. "I can do whatever I want!"

Her big brother stood wordless for a second as the reality of what exactly he was doing began to _ really _sink in. She saw it in his eyes as he looked toward the cuffs anchoring her to the staircase. But then he shook his head as if to remind himself how certain he was that he was doing the right thing. "No. This will pass," he repeated firmly. "You'll thank me later."

He'd eat those words.

Shilo's livid glare darkened. If looks could kill. Her brother braced himself when the jade glow behind her back flared brightly and she curled her lip. "No I _ WON'T!" _ she shouted, palms blazing hot as she opened them up to release a blast straight into the thick wooden post. As if struck by a bolt of lightning, it splintered with a crackle and pop, sending wooden shrapnel flying.

She might still be cuffed, but at least she wasn't bound down anymore.

She dodged as Hugo lunged at her. Evading the paws swiping at her, she hastily writhed to twist her arms up and over, contorting to bring her trapped wrists to the front of her – which was so much easier in her head. She didn't have time to blame difficulty on the go-bag on her back. She charged another blast and raised her hands up to swing it at his chest like a ball to knock him free of the doorway, but before she could launch it, her big brother flung himself at her again in the attempt to wrangle her back into custody.

As he plowed into the dismayed superhuman, her hands came down in the wrong spot at the wrong time, and before she could recall or redirect it, the blast discharged pointblank against her brother's head.

The blow was enough to knock the wind out of herself and singe her sweater, even with a skull between her weaponized hands and her midriff. Somehow Shilo was still standing, though her knees threatened to buckle under the weight as her brother's arms went limp around her waist and his hulking body collapsed to the floor with a thud that shook the house.

Stunned, Shilo stumbled back on wobbly legs. The glow from her hands was snuffed out entirely in her fists as she stared down in horror at her brother lying motionless at her feet. Her gaze trailed from him to her trembling hands still cuffed together, and the panicked realization formed in her head. If abandoning her family didn't feel like treason, then using potentially lethal force against one of her own sure as hell did.

She didn't take her eyes off her brother as she shuffled slowly back.

He was just knocked out cold – he had to be. He'd get up in a minute – but she didn't want to be here when he did. She wasn't leaving her baby brothers another step closer to total orphans with no one to guide them, and she certainly hadn't just killed her big brother. Should she check for a pulse? She'd call an ambulance if she hadn't already obliterated the kitchen phone. There was blood glistening in his hair. Was he still breathing?

Shilo's heart was fluttered wildly like a trapped bird and her head felt light.

A resonating _ beep-beep _ suddenly shattered her shell-shocked spell, and she whipped around to face the open door.

Villain or otherwise, Dr. Drakken's sketchy black SUV idling out front was a blessing in disguise, come to whisk her away from her own personal hell.

Her feet felt like lead, but she forced herself to move anyway, breaking into a mad dash across the lawn before she knew it and wrenching open the door to dive in, laying claim to shotgun by default. The henchmen in the back all stared at her with different levels of surprise, eyes on the handcuffs.

"Ready to take you up on your offer!" she declared, breathless as she buckled herself in awkwardly. "Step on it. Just get me as far from here as possible, _ now." _

Dr. Drakken obliged. It didn't take a genius to grasp the urgency of her request.

The henchmen hovering behind her didn't dare ask questions. Shego was thankful for that. As she fished around in her utility pouch for an extra bobby pin, she was also thankful she'd never found the chance to change out of her uniform and disguise from yesterday's mission to the geek lab, otherwise she wouldn't have brought the damn handy suit along at all. Hell, her gloves and mask were still shoved under the seat, where she'd forgotten them yesterday.

She tried to ignore Dr. Drakken's gaze straying from the road to her bruising wrists as she freed herself from warped metal restrains and tossed her backpack to the floor. Rubbing her new sores, she settled into silence, glaring intently ahead at the dash until his voice made her jump.

He finally spoke up with a simple question, "Are you sure?"

She blinked away her stupor and clamped her mouth shut tight as she noticed they were moments away from the last intersection before the onramp to the freeway. Giving her a last-minute chance to change her mind was awful chivalrous of a crook. She waited until they had reached the onramp before shrugging and answering, "No turning back now."

There was no rejoicing to be had over the addition to their ranks. Only a solemn quiet filled with the hum of the engine and the ambience of the freeway.

The interstate arched away from the coastline, destined to take them blessedly far away. Shego leaned her head against the window as she watched her hometown in the mirror dwindle behind her and finally out of sight. She'd call herself lucky if she never had to see it or face the people residing there ever again.

* * *

**A/N:**

But wait - there's more! Hahh. The story continues in _The Company You Keep_.


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